FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2011
Canada splits doubleheader against Venezuela and Cuba at Pan American Games (Guadalajara, Mexico) The Canadian Women's Softball Team had two tough games against Venezuela and Cuba during the second day of competition at the Pan American Games in Mexico. Canada got by Venezuela 4-3 and lost 4-2 to Cuba. Canada now has 2-1 record and has a quick turnaround as they face Argentina at 10:00am this morning and Mexico at 9:00pm tonight.
In the first game against Venezuela, Canada jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning and took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh and found themselves in a 4-3 game with runners on first and third base with two out. Canada's shortstop
Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) put an end to the game with a tough play on a ground ball and made a quick throw to get the batter at first base.
In the first inning,
Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) hit the first pitch of the game off the top of the wall for a triple and
Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) beat out an infield slap to put runners on the corners.
Jennifer Yee (North Delta, BC) walked to load the bases before
Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) grounded out to second to score Matthews.
Kelsey Haberl (Burnaby, BC) hit a soft liner to center to score Hayward and Yee scored on a ground ball to first base by Salling.
Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) singled to right before
Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) flew out to end the inning.
Canada was up 3-0 when they added another run in the fifth. Matthews drew a walk and moved to second on a Hayward ground out. Jennifer Yee was safe on a hit that rolled down the third base line and Matthews scored on a Rafter single through the left side of the infield. Haberl singled to right field but pinch runner
Jill Russell (London, ON) was thrown out at second base for the second out leaving runners on first and third. Salling ended the inning with a deep fly ball to centre.
Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) pitched a gem of a game as she held a very good Venezuela lineup in check until the seventh. Caira left the game with runners on second and third and one out before
Ashley Lanz (Winnipeg, MB) came on in relief and got the second out with a strike out. Lanz couldn't shut the door and Venezuela hit a double and two singles to narrow the gap to one run. Lanz induced a tough hop grounder to Salling at shortstop, who made the tough play to end the game.
Caira picked up the win allowing five hits, two runs and striking out five. Lanz allowed three hits, one run and struck out one for the save.
Canada 4 vs. Venezuela 3 - Box Score In a game in which both teams had eight hits, Cuba managed to produce six of their eight hits in the second and fifth innings and scored all their runs. Canada managed their hits over five innings and had their chances but couldn't cash in when they needed to.
Cuba scored twice in the second on three hits off starting pitcher
Sarah Phillips (Mississauga, ON), but Canada got one back in the bottom when Jennifer Salling doubled to left centre and scored on a single by Joey Lye, who got picked off looking to advance to second on the hit.
Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) replaced Phillips in the third and held Cuba until the fifth, when they strung together three hits to take a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning,
Heather Ebert (Rosthern, SK) hit a long double into left centre and scored when Victoria Hayward drove a double to left. With two outs, Jennifer Yee hit a single past third but Hayward was thrown out at the plate on a great throw by the outfielder. Both Salling in the sixth with Rafter sitting on second after singling to left field and Ebert in the seventh hit balls to the warning track on the 240 feet fences, but Canada could not get any closer. Lye and Salling had singles in the fourth inning to round out Canada's hits.
Phillips took the loss going two innings and allowing four hits and two runs, while Cater went five innings giving up four hits and two runs with five strikeouts.
Canada 2 vs. Cuba 4 - Box Score Canada (2-1) will take on Argentina (0-2) at 10:00am EDT this morning, and will then play Mexico (0-3) at 9:00pm EDT tonight.
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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 
