FW: Softball Canada Media Release / Communiqué de presse

[Al's Fastball News]

Canadian Open Fastpitch Marquee Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 8, 2010 

Canada opens Canadian Open Fastpitch Series with Thrilling Win


(Surrey, BC) Exactly one week after winning two games in the
bottom of the seventh to guarantee itself a medal at the ISF
XII Women's World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela, Team Canada
dug deep once again by scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth
to take a dramatic 4-3 win over the United States. The American
team features five members of the World Champion American squad,
and is completed by some of the best players in the NCAA ranks.


After Canadian pitcher Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) made quick
work of the Americans in the top of the first, Canada opened
the scoring in the bottom half of the inning. Melanie Matthews
(Surrey, BC) singled to lead off the innings, but was picked
off trying to steal second. A few pitches later, Jenn Yee (North
Delta, BC) launched a solo homerun just inside the right field
foul pole to give Canada the early 1-0 lead. However, the United
States responded right away, as Alissa Haber, who broke the single-tournament
RBI record in Caracas last week, led off the second inning with
a double and scored on a single by Megan Langenfeld. Kaitlin
Cochran then hit a hard line drive to Sheena Lawrick (Calgary,
AB) at first, who made an outstanding play to dive for the bag
to retire Langenfeld on the unassisted double play. 

Lawrie and Team USA pitchers Jordan Taylor and Blaire Luna cruised
through the middle innings, but Canada had the best opportunities
to break the tie. Canada managed to get two base runners in the
fifth but was unable to push them to the plate, and seemed poised
to score with the same situation in the seventh but was once
again not able to push home the winning run, taking the game
to extra innings. 

With a runner starting on second base due to the international
tie-breaker rule, USA was able to sacrifice their runner to third
and bring her in to score on a fielder's choice with the throw
to the plate just too late to take the 2-1 lead. The Americans
were not done there, as the next batter walked, followed by a
strikeout, and another walk to load the bases, but Lawrie forced
a groundball to get out of the inning. 

In their half of the eighth, Canada duplicated USA's strategy,
as Sheena Lawrick sacrificed Jenn Yee to third. Jen Salling (Port
Coquitlam, BC) then forced a walk, and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph,
ON) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Erin Cumpstone
(Saskatoon, SK) then grounded a ball to shortstop with the only
play to first for the out, allowing Yee to score from third to
tie the game and force the game into the ninth. 

In the top of the ninth, USA was once again able to score a run,
as a walk and a blocked pitch allowed runners to get to second
and third with one out. Jenae Leles grounded out to shortstop
to score a run, but Danielle Lawrie struck out the next hitter
to limit the damage. In the bottom of the inning, Canada took
control of the game as Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) forced a hard-earned
walk and Melanie Matthews singled up the middle to load the bases
with nobody out. Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, New York) then hit a
roller to the pitcher, who forced the runner out at home, then
Jenn Yee came up and hit a shallow fly ball just behind shortstop
which Lye tagged up on, and the throw was on target but bobbled
by the American catcher to tie the game once again at 3-3. Sheena
Lawrick then forced a walk before Jen Salling came up and drove
a ground ball out of the reach of a diving second baseman to
allow Matthews to score for the winning run. 

Lawrie threw nine solid innings for Canada, allowing three runs
(only one earned) on two hits, striking out 10 and walking seven.
At the plate, Melanie Matthews led the way with three hits, while
Yee, Salling and Lye each added one. 

The two teams will return to action on Friday night at 7:00pm
PDT at Softball City. 

Canada 4 vs. United States 3: Box score and Play-by-Play 

-SC- 

For more information, please contact: 

Gilles LeBlanc 
Manager - Marketing and Communications 
Softball Canada 
(613) 797-7171 
gleblanc at softball.ca

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