Canada loses opener at III Pan American Championship

[Al's Fastball News]

Junior Women's Pan American Championship III

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
August 7, 2010 

Canada loses opener at III Pan American Championship 

(Bogota, Colombia) The Canadian Junior Women's National Team
began their run at the III Pan American Championship in Bogota
with a disappointing 3-1 loss to Brazil. After defeating Brazil
17-0 in an exhibition game, Canada ran into some good pitching
and defense and their own defense let them down. 

Canada outhit Brazil 9-3 and squandered many chances as they
left nine runners on base. The first inning was the only inning
they did not have a base runner. 

In the second, Canada threatened as Natasha Szlapetis (Brampton,
ON) singled to left for the first of her three hits and advanced
to third on Erika Polidori's (Brantford, ON) line drive to left.
However, Kristy Noble (Uxbridge, ON) grounded out to short to
end the inning. In the third, Canada again stranded two base
runners. With one out, Jennifer Gilbert (Mckinney, Texas) tripled,
Victoria Hayward (Mountain View, California) drew a walk, and
Gilbert was thrown out at home on a drag bunt by Jacqueline Omichinski
(Abbotsford, BC). In the bottom of the third, Canada's starting
pitcher Jocelyn Cater (Delta, BC) ran into trouble with two outs
as she hit a batter, gave up back-to-back singles, but Erika
Polidori threw the lead runner out at the plate for the third
out of the inning as catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON)
made a great play making the tag to end the Brazil threat. 

In the top of the fourth, Canada again threatened as Szlapetis
singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Wideman. Polidori
hit a ball off the pitchers glove but pinch runner Shannon Davidson
(Whitby, ON) was cut down trying to advance to third. Noble then
singled to left to move Polidori to second but Canada again could
not cash in as Tessa Loewen (Abbotsford, BC) hit one back to
the pitcher to end the inning. 

With one out in the fifth, Hayward slapped a single and Omichinski
drew a walk, but Katelyn Bedwell (White Rock, BC) then drilled
a one hopper to the third baseman who stepped on third and threw
to first for the double play. In the bottom of the inning, Brazil
took advantage of a single and three Canada errors to score three
unearned runs off reliever Karissa Hovinga (La Vista, Nebraska)
and broke the scoreless tie. 

Canada got one back in the sixth as Szlapetis led off with a
single and moved to third on a single to centre by Wideman, who
advanced to second on the throw. Erika Polidori then hit a sacrifice
fly to left to score Szlapetis. With one out, Noble popped to
third and pinch hitter Brigitte Aizprua (Terrebonne, QC) grounded
out to second. In the seventh, a one-out single by single by
Hayward was all that Canada could muster. 

Karissa Hovinga took the loss as she relieved Jocelyn Cater.
The duo gave up three hits and struck out nine. 

Canada will try to regroup when they take on Argentina at 2:00pm
EDT on Sunday. 

-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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