Team Canada Finishes Fourth
at US World Cup of Softball X

(Irvine, California) The Canadian Women’s National Team earned a fourth place finish at the US World Cup of Softball X after dropping a 3-2 decision to Puerto Rico on Sunday. Puerto Rico scored all three of its runs on a first inning homerun and Canada was not able to capitalize on all of its opportunities late in the game.
 
Puerto Rico started the game off strong as the leadoff batter singled to left, later followed by a hit by pitch and a three-run homerun by cleanup batter Sahvanna Jaquish. Canada got a one-out baserunner on an error in the bottom of the first, but a pair of fly balls left her stranded at first. The following inning, Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) drew a leadoff walk and raced all the way in to score when the shortstop made a throwing error to first on a ground ball.
 
In the bottom half of the third, Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) managed a two-out bunt single but another fly ball was caught for the third out. Canada got another two-out baserunner on a walk in the fourth but was once again not able to move the runner any further. In the fifth, the red and white seemed poised to strike as Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) tripled to right field, but the next batter hit a fly ball to left that was not deep enough for Timpf to tag up. A few pitches later Timpf was picked off at third followed by a pop up to shortstop as Canada came away with nothing.
 
Lye started the bottom half of the sixth with a walk followed by a single by Jen Yee (North Delta, BC). After a pop up to first, Yee stole second to put runners on second and third before Polidori hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring Lye in to score and reduce the deficit to 3-2. Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) hit an infield single to the shortstop that Yee attempted to score on, but was retired at the plate as Puerto Rico cut down the tying run.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Timpf drew a four pitch walk with one out, followed by an error and a bunt single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, BC) to load the bases, but the next batter hit a ground ball to the pitcher who got the force out at home before another fielder’s choice to second ended the game.
 
Box Score: Puerto Rico 3 vs. Canada 2
 
Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) got the start in the pitcher’s circle for Canada and took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out one batter in two and two third innings pitched. Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) pitched four innings of relief, scattering five hits and striking out four, while Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) came in to retire the last Puerto Rican batter in the seventh. Timpf had a triple for Canada, while Franklin, Lye, Yee and Salling each had a single.
 
Team Canada will travel to Surrey, BC on Monday and will compete in the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship beginning on Tuesday when they take on the NJCAA All-Stars at 3:30pm PDT followed by the Dominican Republic at 8:30pm PDT. The Canadian Open will take place from July 7-13 before Team Canada competes at the Pan American Games from July 19-26.