Canadian Women’s National Team Sweeps
Doubleheader at Canadian Open

(Surrey, BC) The Canadian Women’s National Team swept a doubleheader at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship on Wednesday, defeating Mexico 9-1 before beating Cuba 9-2 in a pair of five inning games.
 
In the first game of the day against Mexico, the Mexicans got off to a good start by opening the scoring when the first batter tripled and later scored on a sacrifice fly to center. Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) led off the bottom of the inning with a triple of her own before scoring on a wild pitch, and Logan White (Branford, ON) followed up with a single before scoring on a double by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) to give Canada a quick 2-1 lead. Canadian pitcher Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) struck out the side in the top of the second, and Canada added a run to its lead in the bottom of the frame when Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, BC) and Yee both hit two-out singles to put runners on the corners before Franklin scored on a single by White.
 
Canada added another run in the third as Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) was hit by a pitch, sacrificed to second by Carey-Leigh Thomas (Ohsweken, ON) and advanced to third on an error before scoring on a wild pitch. The following inning, Yee worked a leadoff walk followed by a single by White. A fielder’s choice and a ground out gave Mexico two outs, but Salling singled to score Yee and pinch-runner Chelsea Jenner (Abbotsford, BC) and later scored on a single by Megan Gurski (Dalmeny, SK) as Canada took an 7-1 lead.
 
Mexico got two runners on base in the fifth on a single and a fielder’s choice but was unable to score, and Canada ended the game on the run rule in the bottom of the frame when Franklin singled and Yee walked and later scored on a two-run double by Kyla Benz (Surrey, BC).
 
Box Score: Canada 9 vs. Mexico 1
 
Groenewegen pitched all five innings for Canada, allowing one run on three hits and struck out nine batters. White had three singles for Canada while Franklin and Yee each had two. Salling contributed a triple and drove in two runs, Benz added a two-run double and Rafter hit a one-run double. Gurski also chipped in with a single.
 
Against Cuba, Team Canada opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first. Yee led off with a nine pitch walk, was sacrificed to second by Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a ground out by Rafter. Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) hit a two-out single and scored on a double by Salling as Canada took a 2-0 lead. Cuba managed three two-out singles to load the bases in the second but a pop out to shortstop left them off the scoreboard. In the bottom of the inning, Gurski led off with a single but was retired on a fielder’s choice by Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON). Franklin hit an infield single and Wideman moved up to third on the throw to first, with Franklin taking second on the play before Yee reached on a fielder’s choice with Wideman scoring and Franklin advancing on third. Lye pushed Franklin to score with a ground out to second.
 
In the top of the third, Cuba scored both its runs on a two-run homerun by Maritza Soca to pull back within two. However, Canada put the game out of reach by scoring five runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Wideman hit a one-out single followed by a walk by Franklin before Yee singled Wideman home. Lye then smacked a two-run triple, and after a pitching change, Rafter greeted the new pitcher with a two-run homerun as Canada extended its lead to 9-2, putting the run rule into effect. Cuba put two runners on base on an error and a single, but Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) got a ground out and two strikeouts to end the game.
 
Box Score: Canada 9 vs. Cuba 2
 
Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) started the game for Canada, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings and a third, while Hovinga pitched two innings and two thirds of relief, allowing only one hit and striking out three. Rafter had a homerun and three runs batted in for Canada, while Lye had a triple and drove in three runs. Salling added an RBI double, Yee a single and a run batted in with other hits going to Polidori, Gurski, Wideman and Franklin.
 
Canada (4-0) will take on Japan (4-0) in a battle of the only undefeated teams tonight at 6:30pm PDT.