Canada runs into bad luck against Japan; holds on to beat Venezuela

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 7/14/07 9:29:37 AM 
From:  Gilles LeBlanc <gleblanc(at)magma.ca> 



Subject:  Canada runs into bad luck against Japan; holds on to
beat Venezuela  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14th, 2007

 

Canada runs into bad luck against Japan; holds on to beat Venezuela

 

(Oklahoma City, OK) – Japan was able to pull out a win against
Canada for the second time in less than a week, holding the Canadians
to only two hits in a 2-0 win at the KFC World Cup of Softball
III. Just last Saturday, they eliminated Canada from the Canada
Cup with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory. Canada then bounced
back by holding on for the win over Venezuela by a 7-6 score
in their second game of the day.

 

Japan was led by a very solid pitching tandem of Hiroko Saiko
and Makiko Fujiwara, who each surrendered only one hit while
not walking a single batter. Sakai started the game and threw
five strong innings, striking out four batters along the way.
Fujiwara came on in relief for the final two innings and struck
out two. 

 

Both Japanese runs were scored in the top of the third inning,
although Canadian pitcher Robin Mackin (Newmarket, ON) did not
give up a hit in the inning. The first Japanese batter walked,
and the next batter reached on a failed fielder’s choice. After
the runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt, Mackin struck out the
next batter on a wild pitch, which allowed the hitter to reach
first base. The next batter reached first base on an error, scoring
the first run of the game, and the second run was scored moments
later after another wild pitch by Mackin.  

 

Despite struggling a bit with her control, Mackin pitched well
for Canada. She pitched the full seven innings allowing only
one earned run on three hits and seven strikeouts, but also walked
six.

 

Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) and Erin McLean (Whitby, ON) each
chipped in a single for Canada, but both were left stranded at
second base after each stealing a base. They were the only base
runners Canada had all game.

 

In the second game, Canada jumped up to a 7-0 lead after two
innings and was able to cut Venezuela’s comeback short with
a 7-6 win on a hot and steamy afternoon.

 

Canada wasted no time getting on the score board in the top of
the first inning. After loading the bases with no outs, Erin
Cumpstone (Saskatoon, SK) drove in the first run of the game
with an RBI groundout. Erin McLean followed with a two-out single
to bring in another run, and Noemie Marin (Acton-Vale, QC) later
delivered a two run double to give the Canadians an early 4-0
lead.

 

Canada picked up right where they left off in the top of the
second inning, getting their first two batters on base before
Alison Bradley (Pinkerton, ON) stroked a two run triple to right
field. Bradley then scored on a passed ball to push the score
to 7-0.

 

Venezuela woke up in the bottom of the third, sending eleven
batters to the plate and scoring five runs on six hits in the
long inning. The six first hitters reached base off starting
pitcher Katie Rosentreter, scoring three runs before Dione Meier
(Saskatoon, SK) came on in relief for Canada. Meier allowed two
more runs before leaving the inning with the bases loaded and
Canada still up 7-5. Venezuela was able to cut the lead to 7-6
in the fifth inning after a homerun, but that was close as they
would get as Canada was able to hold on for the victory.

 

Rosentreter pitched two innings, giving up five earned runs on
five hits, while walking one and striking out two. Meier came
in and pitched 2 1/3 innings allowing one run on two hits with
one walk and one strikeout. After pitching seven innings in the
first game, Robin Mackin came in to shut the game down pitching
2 2/3 innings to preserve the win. She allowed only one hit and
two walks and struck out two.

 

Bradley led Canada at the plate with two hits and two runs batted
in, while Cumpstone, McLean Marin, Melanie Matthews, Jennifer
Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) and Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON)
also contributed to the eight hit attack.

 

Canada returns to action tonight when they will face China at
9:30pm ET in Oklahoma City. The final round-robin game for Canada
against the United States will take place Sunday afternoon at
1:00pm ET, and can be seen live on TSN.

 

-SC-

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Gilles LeBlanc

Sport/Recreation Management Intern

MBA in Sport and Recreation Management

University of New Brunswick

 

Coordinator, Marketing and Communications

Softball Canada

gleblanc(at)softball.ca

(613) 523-3386 ext 3105

 
 

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