Canada Opens Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship with Big Win over Spain (Basque Country)

(Surrey, BC) The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team opened their Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship schedule with a big 13-0 win in three innings against Basque Country, a club team from Spain. Canada scored six runs in each of the two first innings and added one in the third for the run rule victory. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON) went two-for-two with a homerun, a double and three runs batted in as Canada produced 12 hits in the game.
 
After two quick outs to start the game, Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) each singled, followed by a walk by Carey-Leigh Thomas (Ohsweken, ON) to load the bases for Canada. Sara Hopwood (Richmond, BC) delivered a base-clearing double, and immediately scored on a single by Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, NY). Wideman then connected with a two-run homerun as Canada took a 6-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Canadian starting pitcher Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) struck out the two first batters she faced in the bottom of the inning, and got a ground out to third to close out the first.
 
In the second, Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) and Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) led off with singles, and Yee reached base on a fly ball that was dropped by the left fielder, allowing Lye to score from second and pushed Polidori to third. Polidori then scored on a groundout to second base by Rafter, and Yee scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Thomas. Hopwood was hit by a pitch and Lever singled to put runners on the corners before Wideman connected with a double to send Hopwood in to score. Chelsea Jenner (Abbotsford, BC) then smacked a two-run single to increase the lead to 12-0. Hovinga struck out the side in the bottom of the frame.
 
The following inning, Polidori led off with a double and quickly scored on a double by Yee to round out the scoring. The leadoff batter in the bottom of the third reached on a dropped third strike and the following hitter singled, but Hovinga got a couple more strikeouts and a groundout back to the pitcher’s circle to end the game.
 
Box Score: Canada 13 vs. Spain (Basque Country) 0
 
Hovinga earned the win by allowing only one hit and struck out eight over three innings. Wideman, Polidori, Yee and Lever all collected two hits and two runs scored, while Lye, Rafter, Hopwood and Jenner each contributed with a hit.
 
Other scores of the Women’s International Division at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship on Tuesday were:
 
- United States 8 vs. Bloomington Lady Hearts 0 (5 innings)
- Mexico 11 vs. White Rock Renegades 10
- Japan 9 vs. United States 2 (5 innings)
 
Team Canada (1-0) will be back in action with a doubleheader on Wednesday when they take on the NJCAA All-Stars (1-1) at 3:00pm PDT followed by Mexico (1-0) at 7:00pm PDT. For live scoring and webstreams, visit the event’s website.