FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2012

USA doubles Canada to open Playoff Round at ISF XIII Women's World Championship

(Whitehorse, YK) The Canadian Women`s National Team played a great opening game in the playoff round but came out on the losing end of a tight 4-2 game against the United States at the ISF XIII Women's World Championship. Team Canada gave the Americans their toughest challenge to date, after USA had only allowed one run throughout the preliminary round. USA scored two runs in the bottom of the third but the red and white responded immediately with two runs of their own, before USA tacked on two others in the bottom of the fourth and held on for the victory.

After both teams were retired in order in the first, Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) got the first hit of the game in the top of the second, a two-out single to centerfield. She advanced to second on a passed ball and Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) was hit by a pitch, but Canada was unable to bring them in to score. USA then put a runner on base on an error, and after two fly outs the runner stole second, but Canadian pitcher Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) forced another fly ball to end the inning with the game still scoreless.

Team Canada went down in order in the third, and Team USA was able to get on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the frame. After back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Stacy May-Johnson singled to bring both runners in to score. Canada did not waste any time getting back on even terms, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth. Jenn Yee (North Delta, BC) led off the inning with a single, but was retired at second on a fielder's choice. Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) then hit a single through the right side of the infield, and Salling singled up the middle to score Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) from second and pushing Rafter over to third. Timpf then hit a ground ball towards the hole on the right side of the infield that the second baseman was able to get to, but the runner from third scored to tie the game 2-2.

The United States got right back on the board in the bottom of the inning. With one out, a double, a walk and a single loaded the bases before Michelle Moultrie slapped a single over first base to bring a run in to score, followed by an RBI groundout.

Canada threatened again in the fifth, as Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) drove a double to the left-center field gap and advanced to third on a drag bunt single by Joey Lye (Toronto, ON). However, a strikeout and a groundout to the pitcher ended the threat. Team Canada then got the leadoff hitter on base in the sixth on an error, but was unable to get her any further. They were then retired in order in the seventh as Team USA took the 4-2 win.

Lawrie allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk, and struck out five batters in the complete game loss. Salling led the Canadian offence with a pair of hits and a run batted in, while Matthews, Lye, Yee and Rafter each added a hit apiece.

Box score and play by play: Canada 2 vs. United States 4

With the loss, Canada will now play the Netherlands at noon PDT on Saturday in an elimination game. The winner of that game will go on to play against the winner of the Australia/China game at 7:30pm PDT.

In other playoff scores on Friday, the Netherlands (3A) eliminated Chinese Taipei (4B) with a 4-3 win, while Australia (3B) sent Puerto Rico (4A) home after defeating them by a score of 12-0 in four innings. Japan (1B) also defeated China (2A) 1-0.

Other games on Saturday will be Australia taking on China at 2:30pm PDT, and Japan will play the United States at 5:00pm PDT with the winner advancing directly to the Gold medal game on Sunday.

For full coverage, visit the tournament website at http://www.worldfastpitch2012.com.

How to Follow Team Canada
Softball Canada Website: http://www.softball.ca
2012 Team Canada Media Guide: http://www.softballcanada.info/2012TeamCanadaMediaGuide.pdf
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For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 795-1996 (cell)
gleblanc@softball.ca