FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25th, 2011

Canada Wins Bronze Medal at US World Cup of Softball!

(Oklahoma City, OK) The Canadian Senior Women's National Team rebounded from a loss to Australia on Sunday to defeat them by a score of 4-1 in the Bronze medal game of the US World Cup of Softball VI in Oklahoma City. Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) kept the ball down and relied on her defense, scattering eight hits while limiting the Aussies to only one run. Team Canada took advantage of a few Australian errors and played a very good short game to put the pressure on all game long.

Australia started the game strong in the top of the first inning. After Caira retired the first two hitters, Stacey Porter singled, followed by a walk and another single to load the bases. However, Caira struck out the next hitter to get out of the inning. Australia would open the scoring in the third, loading the bases once again before Stacey McManus hit a pinch-hit, two-out single to bring in the first run of the game. Team Canada did not take long to respond, tying the game in the bottom of the inning. Hannah Schwarz (Scarborough, ON) led off with a single, but was retired at second on a fielder's choice by Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC). Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) then sacrificed Matthews to second, and Matthews came in to score on an error by the first base player to tie the game 1-1.

The following inning, Kelsey Haberl (Burnaby, BC) started things off with a single for Canada followed by a bunt single by Joey Lye (Toronto, ON). After both runners advanced on a ground out, Danielle Lopez (Barrie, ON) hit an RBI single up the middle. Schwarz then executed a nice squeeze play to score another run, giving Canada a 3-1 lead.

Australia threatened to score in the top of the sixth, as Stacey McManus was walked on four pitches with one out and stole second base. However, the next hitter smashed a line drive to the second base player who tossed the ball to the shortstop covering second base for an inning-ending double play. Canada added another insurance run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single through the right side of the infield by Victoria Hayward, extending the lead to 4-1. Caira retired the first two hitters in the top of the seventh, and after a single, forced a ground out to third to close out the game.

Caira allowed one run on eight hits and two walks, striking out two hitters in the complete game win. At the plate, Lye and Schwarz each had two singles for Canada, while Hayward, Haberl, Lopez and Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) each chipped in with one.

The game marked the end of the 2011 summer schedule for Team Canada, who will play at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico this fall from October 17-23.

Canada 4 vs. Australia 1 - Box Score and Play by Play

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For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
gleblanc@softball.ca