Canada Finishes Fourth at
US World Cup of Softball VIII
Â
(Oklahoma City, OK) The Canadian Women’s National Team finished in a three-way tie for first place with USA and Japan with a 3-1 record in the preliminary round, but came out on the short end of the tie-breaking formula and took on Australia in the Bronze medal game, losing 4-3 in eight innings to finish fourth at the General Tire World Cup of Softball VIII in Oklahoma City. All four teams will travel to Surrey, BC for the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship, which takes place July 16-22 at Softball City.
Canadian starting pitcher Marina Demore (Richmond, BC) allowed back-to-back singles to Clare Warwick and Stacey Porter in the top of the first, but settled in nicely by getting two fly outs to hold Australia off the scoreboard. Canada put a runner on base on an error in the bottom of the first, but was unable to get anything else going. Both teams went down in order in the second inning, and Canada got a two-out single by Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) in the bottom of the third but she was caught stealing.
Australia got two more back-to-back singles by Jodie Bowering and Chelsea Forkin with one out in the top of the fourth. However, Demore once again got out of the inning with a ground out and a fly out. Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) came on in relief of Demore to start the fifth inning, and gave up a leadoff double to Belinda White who later scored on a ground out to give Australia a 1-0 lead. Canada got a leadoff single by Sara Hopwood (Surrey, BC) in the bottom of the frame, but she was retired on a fielder’s choice followed by a ground out and a strikeout to end the inning.
Groenewegen retired Australia in order in the top of the sixth including two strikeouts, and Canada was able to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Hayward reached on an error and stole second base, was sacrificed over to third and scored on a single by Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, NY). Jenny Gilbert (Saskatoon, SK) later hit a two-out single and Hopwood walked to load the bases, but the following batter grounded out to end the threat. Australia got a one out single in the top of the seventh and sacrificed the runner to second, but could not bring her in to score. Canada went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
Australia scored three runs in the top of the eighth to take a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Hayward started on second on the international tie breaker rule and advanced to third as Lye reached on an error. Lever followed with an RBI single to score Hayward, and after a strikeout Gilbert delivered an RBI single of her own to cut the lead to 4-3. Hopwood singled to load the bases, but the two next batters popped out on the infield to end the game
Box score and play-by-play:
Canada 3 vs. Australia 4
Demore allowed four hits with two strikeouts in four innings of work, while Groenewegen allowed four runs – three earned – on only two hits with two strikeouts of her own. Lever led Canada at the plate with a pair of RBI singles, while Gilbert and Hopwood also had two hits. Hayward had the other Canadian hit.
Japan defeated the United States 6-3 to win the Gold medal at the event.
-SC-
For more information, please contact:
Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
gleblanc@softball.ca
