Melfort, Sask. – The Canadian Women’s National Softball Team and the Czech Republic National Team split a doubleheader at Spruce Haven Ball Park on Wednesday evening, with Canada earning a 5-0 shutout win in the opener before the Czechs bounced back with a 5-1 win.
 
In the first game, Canada opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first by loading the bases on two walks and an error before Alysen Febrey (Peachtree City. Ga.) pushed the lead runner in to score with a fielder’s choice. In the third, Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) led off with a single and moved up to third on a single by Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly to center by Febrey to give Canada a 2-0 lead.
 
In the pitcher’s circle, Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) got the start for Canada and held the Czech Republic in check, allowing only a one-out single in the fourth with the runner retired on a double play on the very next play. The red and white doubled its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Harshman singled again and scored on a two-run homerun to left by Polidori. The Czech Republic managed to put two runners on base with two outs in the top of the sixth off reliever Jorde Chartrand (Weyburn, Sask.), but a strikeout left them both stranded. Canada added its fifth run in the sixth after three consecutive singles by Victoria Hayward (Toronto, Ont.), Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and Grace Messmer (Surrey, B.C.) to complete the scoring.
 
Box Score: Canada 5 vs. Czech Republic 0
 
Rackel earned the win and player of the game honours by allowing only one hit and striking out four over five innings of work. Chartrand allowed three hits and struck out one in two innings of relief. At the plate, Polidori hit a homerun and a single and drove in two, while Harshman and Hayward each singled twice. Franklin, Messmer, Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.), Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) and Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) all added singles. Febrey drove in two runs.
 
The Czech Republic took game two by a 5-1 score. Canada opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second when Leung singled, moved up to second on a ground out to second and scored on a single by Entzminger. However, the Czech Republic responded with four runs un in the top of the third by stringing together a triple and four singles. Canada’s offence couldn’t get much going after that, with the next hit coming on a two-out double by Messmer in the bottom of the fifth. The Czech Republic got a leadoff triple in the sixth with the runner scoring on a single, while Canada put two runners on base in each of the sixth and seventh innings but was not able to cash them in.
 
Box Score: Czech Republic 5 vs. Canada 1
 
Ruby Anderson (Victoria, B.C.) took the loss for Canada, allowing four runs on seven hits to go along with four strikeouts in three innings. Nicola Simpson (Seattle, Wash.) held the Czechs to one run on two hits in three innings of relief, with Sam Ryan (Monroe, N.Y.) pitching a hitless seventh. Entzminger had two singles and drove in a run for Canada, with Messmer adding a double and Febrey, Leung and Kianna Jones (Surrey, B.C.) each contributing a single. Veronicka Pecková earned the complete game win.
 
The two teams will face each other again for one game at Prime Ministers Park in Prince Albert, Sask. at 6:30m CST on Thursday, and will play a doubleheader starting at 1:00pm CST on Canada Day at Bob Van Impe Stadium in Saskatoon. Tickets for all games will be available at the gate.