Team Canada powers past Aussies 8-2 inTri Nations Cup Opener

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 7/6/08 10:12:22 PM 
From:  "Gilles LeBlanc" <gleblanc at softball.ca> 


Subject:  Team_Canada_powers_past_Aussies_8-2_in_Tri_Nations_Cup_Ope
 
 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6th, 2008

 

Team Canada powers past Aussies 8-2 inTri Nations Cup Opener

 

(Kitchener, ON) – After a bit of a slowstart, Canada’s Senior
Women’s National Team scored eight unanswered runs todefeat Australia
8-2 in the opening game of the Tri Nations Cup. Jennifer Yee(North
Delta, BC) and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) each connected with
homerunsin the fifth inning to put the game out of reach.

 

Team Australia got off to a quick start inthe top of the first
when leadoff hitter Simonne Morrow doubled down the leftfield
line and later scored on a groundout. They then added to that
slim leadin the second when Natalie Ward scored from third base
on a wild pitch.

 

Canada finally got things going in thebottom of the third inning.
Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) led off the inningwith a solid
line drive to the left-center field gap for a double. Erin McLean(Whitby,
ON) followed up with an RBI single, and later scored on a single
byAlison Bradley (Pinkerton, ON) to tie the game up at 2-2. With
Sheena Lawrick(Calgary, SB) on third and Bradley on third, Bradley
attempted to steal secondand induced a rundown between first
and second, allowing Lawrick to cross theplate to give Canada
a 3-2 lead through three innings of play.

 

The score remained the same until thebottom of the fifth, when
Jennifer Yee smashed a leadoff homerun over thecenterfield fence
off relief pitcher Felicity Witt. That seemed to spark theCanadian
bats, as Lawrick later walked and scored on an RBI double by
AlisonBradley down the third base line. After Bradley was thrown
out at home on asingle by Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON), Erin
Cumpstone (Saskatoon, SK) drew awalk and Kaleigh Rafter followed
with a three-run homerun to round out thescoring.

 

Robin Mackin (Newmarket, ON) pitched foursolid innings to earn
the victory in the pitcher’s circle. She allowed bothAustralia
runs on three hits and five walks. Danielle Lawrie (Langley,
BC) cameon in relief to start the fifth inning and did not give
up a hit in twoinnings, walking one batter and striking out three.
Dione Meier (Saskatoon, SK)threw a perfect seventh inning by
striking out the side to seal the Canadianvictory.

 

Australia (0-1) will take on Japan (0-0) at6:00pm EDT at Peter
Hallman Ballyard in Kitchener, ON. Japan will then take onCanada
(1-0) immediately following that game to finish the short round-robin.

 

BoxScore    

 

-SC-

 

For more information, please contact

 

Gilles LeBlanc

Manager: Marketing and CommunicationsServices

Softball Canada

(613) 523-3386 ext 3105

gleblanc(at)softball.ca

 

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