Fw: Softball Canada Media Release / Communiqué de presse

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-----Original Message-----
From: "Softball Canada" <newsletter at softball.ca>
Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2012 01:02:55 
To: Al's Fastball News<Fastball at pmihrm.com>
subject:Softball Canada Media Release / Communiqué de presse

 
 
 
Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship - Game 2 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 5, 2012 

 Japan comes back to defeat Canada at Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship 

 (Surrey, BC) The Canadian Women's National Team was back in action at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship today as they took on Japan. Canada took a 2-1 lead into the seventh and was one strike away from winning the game, but Japan was able to get a two-run double to take the lead and ultimately win the game. 

 Japan opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, as the leadoff batter doubled, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly. The following inning, Japan threatened again as the first two batters reached on a single and a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Canadian starting pitcher Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) forced a ground out to third, a pop out to second and snagged a ground ball headed up the middle to hold Japan off the score sheet in the inning. That seemed to spark Team Canada, as Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) singled to left and advanced to third when Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) doubled off the fence. Heather Ebert (Rosthern, SK) then drilled a pitch through the left side of the infield to score Rafter, and Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the Japanese catcher caught the runner on third with a quick snap throw for the second out, and the next batter struck out to end the inning with the score tied at 1-1. 

 Japan was able to put two more runners on base in the third on a catcher's obstruction call and an error, and with two outs, both runners advanced on a fake bunt and steal. A walk then loaded the bases, but Hovinga forced a ground out to second base to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Joey Lye (Toronto, ON) lined a one-out triple to the left field wall and Jenn Yee (North Delta, BC) forced a walk to place runners on the corner. After a pitching change, Rafter lined the first pitch she saw to left field for a sacrifice fly, giving Canada a 2-1 lead. Lawrick then hit a single past the outstretched glove of the second baseman, but the next batter struck out to end the inning. 

 In the top of the fourth, the first two Japanese batters reached with singles, but Hovinga forced a line out to third and two fly outs to right field to end the inning. Both teams were unable to get much going through the next inning and a half, as Canada held on to a 2-1 lead into the top of the sixth inning. Madison Schreyer (Winnipeg, MB) came on in relief of Hovinga, making her first appearance with the Senior Women's National Team, and promptly retired Japan in order. In the bottom of the inning, Lawrick led off with a double and was replaced by Carey-Leigh Thomas (Ohsweken, ON) on the base paths, and Ebert later reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners with one out. However, the next two hitters were retired. 

 In the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Yukiko Ueno led off with a single and was sacrificed to second. After an intentional walk, Schreyer forced a fly out to right, but the next batter lined a double to the left field fence to score two runs, giving Japan a late 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Lye forced a one-out walk but Yee lined out to pitcher who doubled Lye off at first to end the game. 

 Hovinga pitched well for Canada, allowing one run while scattering six hits and two walks over five innings. Schreyer also looked very good despite giving up the game-winning double, allowing two runs on two hits with a strikeout in two innings pitched. Offensively, Lawrick cracked two doubles and a single, while Ebert added a pair of singles. Lye, Rafter and Yee each added a hit for Team Canada. 

 Box score and play by play: Canada 2 vs. Japan 3 

 Other scores on day two of the tournament saw Japan beat Australia 7-2 earlier in the day, and the United States shut out Puerto Rico 8-0. Canada (1-1) will play two games on Friday, first against Venezuela (0-1) at 1:00pm PDT, followed by Australia (1-1) at 6:30pm PDT. 

 Web streaming for all Women's International games can be purchased at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship website: http://www.canadianopenfastpitch.com. The website also has live Pointstreak live scoring for all Women's International and Elite games. 

 -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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