Canada Finishes Fourth at ISF Women’s
World Softball Championship

(Haarlem, Netherlands) After all playoff games were washed out on Friday, The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team had very long day on Saturday, as their first game was delayed by four hours and they ended up playing three games with the last one finishing at 2:00am local time in Haarlem. The red and white began the day with a 6-1 loss to the United States, followed by a 2-1 win over Chinese Taipei and a 7-3 loss to Australia, giving them a fourth place finish at the event.
 
In the first game of the day against the Americans, both teams were held scoreless as Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) and Jessica Moore kept the opposing hitters at bay through the first three innings. The United States were able to open the scoring in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Haylie McCleney with the bases loaded. Canada responded immediately to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, as Carey-Leigh Thomas (Ohsweken, ON) singled up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on a double to center by Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON). However, the United States would re-take the lead in the fifth on a two-run homerun by Michelle Moultrie, and put the game out of reach on a three-run homerun by Lauren Gibson in the sixth for the 6-1 win.
 
Caira held the Americans to one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in three and a third innings. Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk with one strikeout, while Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) pitched one inning and allowed one hit. Polidori had a double, a single and a run batted in at the plate, with Joey Lye (Toronto, ON), Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) and Thomas each adding a single.
 
Box Score: United States 6 vs. Canada 1
 
Following their loss, Canada waited for the next opponent as they would face the winner of a game between New Zealand and Chinese Taipei, with the latter winning that game by a 3-0 score. After the first two innings went scoreless, Canada was able to open the scoring with two runs in the top of the third. Sara Hopwood (Richmond, BC) led off with a single, later followed by a single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, BC) and Lye reached on an error to load the bases with one out. Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) then hit a single up the middle to score two runs and give Canada the 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Chinese Taipei was able to get one of those runs back as the leadoff batter walked, was sacrificed to second and went on to score when she got caught between second and third but an errant throw to second got by the left fielder. Taipei pressured by loading the bases in each of the fifth and sixth innings, but Caira did a great job of keeping them off the scoreboard, including a big strikeout in the bottom of the sixth as Team Canada held on for the win.
 
Caira pitched the complete game win for Canada, allowing one unearned run on six hits and three walks to go along with eight strikeouts. Offensively, Timpf had the big two-run single, while Franklin went three-for-three with three singles and a run scored and Hopwood had a single and a run scored.
 
Box Score: Canada 2 vs. Chinese Taipei 1
 
Once their second game was completed, Team Canada then awaited their next opponent, as Australia defeated the Netherlands 8-0 in five innings shortly after the Netherlands had eliminated China with a 7-5 win in a marathon ten inning game. The game was scoreless after four complete innings as pitchers Karissa Hovinga and Kaia Parnaby did a good job of scattering hits and holding the opposing team off the scoreboard. Australia was the first team to strike, as leadoff batter Clare Warwick singled and was sacrificed to second, followed by a pair of walks to load the bases with one out. After a fielder’s choice cut the lead runner at the plate for the second out, Chelsea Forkin singled to score two runs. The following inning, the Aussies added another run when the leadoff batter singled and Leigh Godfrey doubled down the left field line, increasing the lead to 3-0.
 
Canada showed some resiliency, as they came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) led off with a double inside the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Rafter drew a walk. Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, NY) singled up the middle to score Yee, and after the runners were sacrificed to second and third, Thomas singled through the left side of the infield to cut the lead to 3-2. Lye followed up with a ground out to second base to bring in another run to tie the game. However, in the top of the seventh Australia was able to get the leadoff batter on base and she moved around to third before scoring on a two-out hit into short centerfield to take the lead. The Aussies proceeded to get runners on second and third before Warwick doubled over the left fielder’s head to drive in both runners, and later scored on a single to increase the lead to 7-3. Canada went down in order to end the game.
 
Hovinga allowed one run on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts in four inning and one third, while Sara Plourde (Fredericton, NB) walked one batter before Caira came in and allowed five runs on six hits and two walks and struck out two in two innings and a third. Groenewegen got the final out, allowing one hit and a walk and notched a strikeout. Polidori had a pair of singles for Canada, with other hits going to Timpf, Yee, Lever, Thomas and Franklin.
 
Box Score: Australia 7 vs. Canada 3
 
With the loss, Canada finished fourth at the event. Australia will move on to the medal round as they will play the United States in the bronze medal game, with the winner of the game advancing to face Japan for the Gold medal. The United States lost 6-1 to Japan earlier in the evening in the battle of undefeated teams.
 
Live scoring will be available on the event website at http://www.wcsoftball2014.com/en/home, with webstreaming available for purchase through http://isf.sportzcast.net/.

The event can also be followed on Facebook (World Championship Softball 2014) and Twitter (@WCSoftball2014).
 
How to Follow Team Canada
Softball Canada Website: http://www.softball.ca
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SoftballCanada
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SoftballCanadaNSO