FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2011
Canada wins silver medal at Pan American Games! (Guadalajara, Mexico) The Canadian Women's Softball Team worked their way to the gold medal game the hard way by beating Cuba 4-0 in the semi-final game only to see their hopes for the gold dashed by the United States who beat Canada 11-1 on the run rule. Canada takes home a silver medal from the Pan American Games, going 7-3 for the tournament
After defeating Venezuela last night 11-1, Canada needed to defeat Cuba who had lost to the USA to get to the gold medal game. Cuba, who had defeated Canada 4-2 in the preliminary round, had their bats silenced by Canada's
Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) who kept them off balance with changes of speed and they never got very much offence going, as Caira allowed only three hits and struck out seven batters to pick up the win.
Cuba threatened with two on in the top of the second, but Caira got the third out with a strikeout. In Canada's half,
Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on a passed ball, but was left stranded. In the third, Canada opened the scoring when
Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) walked and was moved to second on a
Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) sacrifice.
Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) lined out to centerfield, and Timpf tagged and advanced to third.
Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) followed with a two-strike line drive triple to left field to score Timpf. Lye was left on third as
Jennifer Yee (North Delta, BC) flied out to left.
Rafter led off the fourth with her second big homerun of the tournament to left field to increase Canada's lead to two.
Kelsey Haberl (Burnaby, BC) was hit by a pitch and
Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) beat out a drag bunt to put runners on first and second. Pinch runner
Brittany Hicks (Dundas, ON) was forced at third as
Heather Ebert (Rosthern, SK) attempted to advance the runners with a bunt. After a strikeout, Victoria Hayward hit a single through the middle to score Salling and put Canada up 3-0.
In the sixth, Canada added another run when Joey Lye's soft liner was dropped by the Cuban shortstop, and Jennifer Yee sacrificed Lye to second. Cuba changed pitchers and Rafter was issued an intentional walk, and after the next batter struck out, both Jennifer Salling and Heather Ebert were hit by pitches to score Lye.
Cuba tried to rally in the sixth and had runners on second and third with one out, but Caira got a ground out to first and a strike to end the threat. Rafter, Lye and Hayward both had two hits with Salling adding the seventh hit.
In the gold medal game, Canada was run-ruled as the USA blew the game open in the third on route to their 11-1 win and their seventh consecutive gold medal. Canada had two on in the first inning, as Melanie Matthews and Jennifer Yee both drew walks, but the next two batters were retired to end the inning. In the bottom half, a two-out homerun put the USA up 1-0.
Canada came right back to tie the game as Heather Ebert walked and back-to-back singles by Megan Timpf and Victoria Hayward pushed her in to score.
USA added two runs in the second and four more in the third as
Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) relieved Caira in the pitcher's circle but could not stem the tide. Heather Ebert doubled in the fourth for Canada, but could not advance any further. The USA closed the game out with four runs in the fourth as Cater was relieved by
Ashley Lanz (Winnipeg, MB) to the end the game.
Canada had three hits and Caira took the loss as the USA used a twelve hit attack.
Canada 4 vs. Cuba 0 - Box Score Canada 1 vs. United States 11 - Box Score -SC-
For more information, please contact:
Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
gleblanc@softball.ca
