Canada Opens KFC World Cup of Softball V with Loss

[Al's Fastball News]

Canada Opens KFC World Cup of Softball V with Loss 

(Oklahoma City, OK) The Canadian Women's National Softball Team
faced a tough challenge in their opening game of the KFC World
Cup of Softball V in Oklahoma City, taking on the reigning World
Champions, the United States. American pitcher Monica Abbott
fired a two-hitter at the Canadians, while her teammates gave
her a three-run lead to work with before she stepped foot in
the pitcher's circle, leading to a 9-0 USA win in six innings.


The United States opened the scoring right off the bat in the
top of the first inning. Natasha Watley led off with a single,
stole second and advanced to third on a groundout before scoring
on a double to right center field by Jessica Mendoza. Jennie
Finch, who announced that she will retire from softball following
the event, then launched a two-run homerun to left to give the
Americans a quick 3-0 lead. 

Abbott was at the top of her game, striking out all nine batters
she faced over the first three innings, while the United States
added a run on a solo homerun by Kaitlin Cochran to right field
to increase the lead to 4-0. In the bottom half of the fourth,
Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) led off with a single and was sacrificed
to second by Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, New York), but Abbott struck
out the next two hitters to keep Canada off the scoreboard. 

After a quick fifth inning in which both pitchers retired the
three batters they faced in order, Canadian starting pitcher
Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) started the sixth by hitting Andrea
Duran, who moved up to second on a groundout and scored on an
error, as Ashley Charters advanced to second on the error. Vicky
Galindo then hit a fly ball to right field, and Charters raced
in to score after a bad throw to the infield. After a single
by Natasha Watley, Ashley Lanz (Winnipeg, MB) came on in relief
of Lawrie, and allowed a single to Caitlin Lowe, followed by
a three-run homerun to Jessica Mendoza, as the Americans took
control of the game with a 9-0 lead. 

Erin Cumpstone (Saskatoon, SK) was able to produce Canada's second
hit of the game in the bottom half of the sixth, but the red
and white was unable to produce any runs, ending the game after
six innings on the run rule. 

Monica Abbott was sensational in the pitcher's circle, striking
out 16 batters over six innings while only allowing two hits.
Danielle Lawrie allowed seven runs (four earned) over five and
two third innings with five strikeouts for Canada. Lanz allowed
two unearned runs on two hits and recorded the final out. 

Canada will return to action tomorrow, as they will take on the
USA Futures National Team at 4:00pm EDT, followed by Japan at
10:00pm EDT. Both games can be watched on webcast at http://asa.video4ever.net/index.htm,
while live scoring will also be available on USA Softball's GameTracker.
Check the Softball Canada website shortly prior to game time
at www.softball.ca to follow the game. 

Canada 0 vs. United States 9: GameTracker 

-SC- 

For more information, please contact: 

Gilles LeBlanc 
Manager - Marketing and Communications 
Softball Canada 
(613) 797-7171 
gleblanc at softball.ca
 Al's Fastball News
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