FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17th, 2011

Senior Women's National Team Finished 4th at Canadian Open Fastpitch Championship

(Surrey, BC) After eliminating both the China Nanjing University and California A's teams yesterday, the Canadian Senior Women's National Team took on Australia today looking to advance to the Championship round of the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. However, Australia had other plans as they got a big hit and never looked back, defeating Team Canada by a score of 8-1 in five innings.

The red and white looked good in the early going, as Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) walked and scored on a double by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) in the bottom of the first inning. Canada would proceed to load the bases with two outs on two walks, but a fly out on the infield ended any threat of adding to the 1-0 lead. Australia wasted no time in tying the game in the top of the second on an error, and added three more the following inning when an error loaded the bases and Jodie Stevenson cleared them with a double to give Australia a 4-1 lead.

The Aussies added two more runs in the fourth on two squeeze bunts by Leah Godfrey and Clare Warwick, and did not let up in the fifth, adding two more on a homerun by Jade Wall. While Australia was pounding the hits, Team Canada could not get anything going after the first inning, managing only four hits.

Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) started in the pitcher's circle for Canada, allowing six runs - two earned - on eight hits and a walk, striking out two batters in three innings and a third. Sarah Phillips (Mississauga, ON) pitched an inning and two third of relief, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. At the plate, Rafter had a double for Canada, while Megan Timpf, Jenna Rodriguez (Edmonton, AB) and Hannah Schwarz (Scarborough, ON) each added singles.

With the loss, Team Canada was eliminated from the tournament and finished fourth. Australia moved on but lost 6-1 to the United States in the semi-final. The United States had lost 4-3 to Japan earlier in the morning in the first versus second playoff game which set up their game with Australia, and wound up losing 7-0 to Japan in the Gold medal game.

Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States will now travel to Oklahoma City, OK this week to play in the US World Cup of Softball VI from July 21-25. Joining them at the event will be the Czech Republic and Great Britain.

Team Canada 1 vs. Team Australia 8 - Box Score and Play by Play


For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 797-7171
gleblanc@softball.ca