October2011

Canada advances to playoff round with win over Dominican Republic

October 22, 2011

Guadalajara, Mexico

XVI Pan American Games - Game #7
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2011

Canada advances to playoff round with win over Dominican Republic

(Guadalajara, Mexico) The Canadian Women's Softball Team ended their preliminary round play with a 5-2 record at the Pan American Games in Mexico. Canada defeated the Dominican Republic 6-1 to secure a playoff berth on Saturday. Canada will play Venezuela in a winner moves on situation. The United States and Cuba - the two teams Canada lost to - will play in the first versus second playoff game.

Canada got some great pitching from starter Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) who went five innings for the win allowing two hits and striking out six with two walks. Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) closed the game out for the save going two innings and giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Canada opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second. Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) hit a single to centre off a changeup to get things rolling. Kelsey Haberl (Burnaby, BC) drew a walk, and Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) also walked - her first of three in the game - to load the bases. Heather Ebert (Rosthern, SK) then drew a bases loaded walk, allowing Rafter to score. Haberl then made it 2-0 on a wild pitch. The Dominican Republic managed to get out of the inning with no further damage as the next two batters grounded out.

In the top of the fourth, the Dominican Republic got their only two hits off Cater. A single followed by a double put runners on second and third with no one out. The next batter hit a shallow fly to left that centre fielder Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) lost in the sun and Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) attempted to catch the ball late but dropped it. The first runner scored and the runner on second tried to advance to third, but Matthews promptly picked up the ball and threw her out at third. With a runner now on second base, Cater walked the next batter but got two easy infield popups to shortstop Jennifer Salling.

In the fourth, Canada had a runner on second as Salling walked and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ebert. Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) then hit a line drive up the middle that the pitcher got a piece of and deflected directly to the short stop who flipped to second to double Salling off and end the inning.

Canada got things going in the fifth and put the game away with a three run outburst. Canada strung four hits together with two outs. Joey Lye beat out a drag bunt, Jennifer Yee (North Delta, BC) then lined a shot to left field moving Lye to second. Rafter then smacked a hit to right field to score Lye and moved Yee over to third. Both Yee and pinch runner Brittany Hicks (Dundas, ON) scored on a double to deep center field by Kelsey Haberl.

In the sixth, Canada closed out the scoring when Heather Ebert was hit by a pitch and scored on Megan Timpf's double to left centre field.

Canada ended the game with seven hits and drew six walks. Joey Lye and Kaleigh Rafter each had two hits to lead the way for Canada.

With the win, Canada improved its record to 5-2, creating a three-way tie for second place with Cuba (5-2) and Venezuela (5-2). With the tie-breaker being runs against in the games between the three teams, Cuba took the tie-breaker to advance to the first versus second playoff game against the United States (7-0) at 5:00pm EDT on Saturday. Venezuela and Canada will then square off at 7:00pm EDT.

Canada 6 vs. Dominican Republic 1 - Box Score

XVI Pan American Games - Softball Standings

-SC-

For more information, please contact:

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