FW: Softball Canada Media Release / Communiqué de presse

[Al's Fastball News]

ISF XII Women's World Championship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
June 25, 2010 

Canada opens World Softball Championship with win over Cuba 

(Caracas, Venezuela) The Canadian Women's National Team was one
of the last team to step on the field at the ISF XII Women's
World Championship in Caracas, and after a short delay to the
beginning of the game, went on to blank Cuba by a score of 6-0.


Canada took an early lead, as Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) drove
in Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, New York) to open the scoring. Canada
seemed poised to score in the second after a leadoff triple,
but was unable to push that runner in to score. 

'There is always that stress, you have to try to make good contact
until the ball finds a place for us to produce' said Lawrick.


In the fourth inning, Canada took advantage of an error, and
pinch-runner Evelyne Pare (Ile-Perrot, QC) raced in to score
on another hit by Sheena Lawrick, who later scored on a hit by
Jen Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) to increase Canada's lead to
3-0. Canada would go on to add two more runs in the fifth, and
Jen Yee (North Delta, BC) sealed the victory with a solo homerun
in the seventh. 

The Canadian offence produced five runs (three earned) on eight
hits off Cuban starting pitcher Anisley Lopez, who was relieved
by Yusmeri Pacheco. Lawrick was 4-for-4 at the plate, while Melanie
Matthews (Surrey, BC) and Jen Salling each had a pair. Yee and
Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) each chipped in with a hit as well.


Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) turned in a dominant performance
in the pitcher's circle by keeping Cuba off balance all night
long, ending the night with 13 strikeouts. She fired a seven
inning one-hitter, walking two batters. 

'We know that when facing a team like Cuba, we are dealing with
players of great quality and who are highly competitive, but
we expected a positive result because we have a good group and
obviously the goal is to reach the Top 3.' stated Team Canada
Pitching Coach Rob Guenter (Victoria, BC) following the win.


Canada will have a busy day of action on Friday, as they will
take on Chinese Taipei at 11:30am EDT before facing Argentina
at 7:30pm. 

Wednesday's scores included Japan overpowering Argentina 13-1,
while the host Venezuela team defeated the Dominican Republic
by a score of 2-1. 

On Day 2, China blanked Botswana 12-0 before narrowly losing
to the United States 1-0, Great Britain shut out South Africa
3-0, Japan beat Chinese Taipei 5-0, New Zealand took an 8-1 victory
over Botswana, Argentina got by South Africa 4-3, Czech Republic
took an 8-4 decision over the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands
edged Great Britain 5-4 and Venezuela defeated Australia 4-1.


Canada 6 vs. Cuba 0: Box Score 

-SC- 

For more information, please contact: 

Gilles LeBlanc 
Manager - Marketing and Communications 
Softball Canada 
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105 
gleblanc at softball.ca

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