Team Canada Shuts Out Argentina
at US World Cup of Softball X

(Irvine, California) The Canadian Women’s National Team earned a 1-0 shutout win over Argentina in its final preliminary round game at the US World Cup of Softball X on Saturday. Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) got the complete game shutout win by allowing only three hits, while Erika Polidori’s (Brantford, ON) solo homerun in the bottom of the fourth was the only run scored in the game.
 
After Canada sat the Argentineans down in order in the top of the first, Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) hit back-to-back two-out singles but a fielder’s choice ended the inning. Argentina produced a two-out double to center in the second but Caira struck out the next batter. The Canadian bats couldn’t get anything going in the bottom of the frame, going down on two ground out and a strikeout.
 
In the top of the third, Argentina got a runner on base on an error and sacrificed her to second but a pair of groundouts left her stranded at second. In the bottom half of the inning, Logan White (Brantford, ON) and Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) both started things off with bunt singles to put runners on the corners, with Lye stealing second on the next pitch. However, the next batter grounded out to third and Lye was caught between second and third, with Argentine turning their attention to the lead runner between third and home before eventually tagging her out, leaving a runner on third with two outs. The next batter struck out looking on an outside pitch to keep the game scoreless after three.
 
Argentina got another single to start the fourth but the runner was caught stealing. In the bottom of the fourth, Polidori took a 3-1 pitch deep to center field for a solo homerun to give Canada the 1-0 lead. Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) later hit a two-out single but was left on first when the next batter struck out. Caira sat Argentina down in order in the fifth before Canada got another bunt single by White, but she was caught stealing. Lye and Yee both walked, but a fielder’s choice and a fly out got Argentina out of the inning. In the seventh, Argentina got a one-out single but Caira got a strikeout for the second out and the runner was thrown out trying to steal second to end the game.
 
Box Score: Canada 1 vs. Argentina 0
 
Caira was stellar in the pitcher’s circle for Canada, firing a three-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts in the complete game shutout. White and Timpf each had a pair of singles, but Polidori’s homerun was the difference in the 1-0 game. Lye, Yee and Rafter each chipped in with a single.
 
The win improved Team Canada’s record to 5-2 and they will face Puerto Rico (4-3) in the Bronze medal game at 2:00pm PDT on Sunday. Team USA (6-1) will play Japan (5-2) in the Gold medal game at 4:30pm PDT. Live scoring and web streaming is available through USA Softball’s website.