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 glebl...@softball.ca Al's Fastball News *Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com fastb...@pmihrm.com NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/ NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball VIA http://www.webbox.com _______________________________________________ Alsfastball mailing list Alsfastball@fastpitchwest.com http://fastpitchwest.com/mailman/listinfo/alsfastball_fastpitchwest.com