Lima, Peru – Team Canada got back in the win column on Wednesday with a 7-0 shutout victory over the host nation Peru in six innings, which improved their record to 3-1 in the preliminary round at the 2019 Pan American Games.
Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) got the start in the pitcher’s circle and went four innings allowing only one hit while striking out three to earn the win for Canada. Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) came on in relief to start the fifth and retired all six batters she faced to earn the save.
Backed by another dominant pitching performance, the Canadian offence went to work, breaking through with a run in the third, and adding five in the fifth and one in the sixth to seal the victory.
Three straight singles from Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.), Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) and Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) loaded the bases to start the third inning and Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) later lined a sacrifice fly to left to score Lye from third.
Team Canada broke the game open in the fifth inning with a five-run offensive outburst that sealed the game. With Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) and Wideman on second and third, Jennifer Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Wideman. The next three runs came all at once off the bat of Holly Speers (Surrey, B.C.) as she launched a home run to center to clear the bases and put Canada up 5-0. The final run of the inning came off when Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) singled and scored on a double to the left field fence by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.).
The final run of the game came in the sixth on another set of consecutive hits. Polidori got a one-out double and was singled home by Entzminger to round out the score at 7-0.
Box Score: Canada 7 vs. Peru 0
All nine starting Canadian batters had at least one hit as Canada racked up thirteen in the contest. Speers led the way offensively for Canada with three runs batted in on two hits, followed by Entzminger who earned two RBIs on a hit and a sacrifice fly.
Canada (3-1) will play its final game of the preliminary round against Mexico (2-2) at 1:00pm local time (2:00pm EDT) on Thursday.
Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) got the start in the pitcher’s circle and went four innings allowing only one hit while striking out three to earn the win for Canada. Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) came on in relief to start the fifth and retired all six batters she faced to earn the save.
Backed by another dominant pitching performance, the Canadian offence went to work, breaking through with a run in the third, and adding five in the fifth and one in the sixth to seal the victory.
Three straight singles from Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.), Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) and Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) loaded the bases to start the third inning and Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) later lined a sacrifice fly to left to score Lye from third.
Team Canada broke the game open in the fifth inning with a five-run offensive outburst that sealed the game. With Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) and Wideman on second and third, Jennifer Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Wideman. The next three runs came all at once off the bat of Holly Speers (Surrey, B.C.) as she launched a home run to center to clear the bases and put Canada up 5-0. The final run of the inning came off when Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) singled and scored on a double to the left field fence by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.).
The final run of the game came in the sixth on another set of consecutive hits. Polidori got a one-out double and was singled home by Entzminger to round out the score at 7-0.
Box Score: Canada 7 vs. Peru 0
All nine starting Canadian batters had at least one hit as Canada racked up thirteen in the contest. Speers led the way offensively for Canada with three runs batted in on two hits, followed by Entzminger who earned two RBIs on a hit and a sacrifice fly.
Canada (3-1) will play its final game of the preliminary round against Mexico (2-2) at 1:00pm local time (2:00pm EDT) on Thursday.
