Santiago, Chile – The Canadian Women’s National Softball Team finished the opening round with a 3-2 loss to Puerto Rico at the Pan American Games on Wednesday. Team Canada jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning but was not able to capitalize on any of their other scoring opportunities, leaving 10 runners on base in the game.
 
Puerto Rico put some pressure on early leading off the game with a single, but the next batter hit into a double play. Canada got on the board in the bottom of the inning, getting a pair of baserunners with a walk by Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) and a single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) with Zoe Hicks (Boissevain, Man.) later delivering a two-run double to left-center. Canada’s first two batters reached base to start the second on an error and a walk, but Puerto Rico was able to leave them stranded.
 
In the top of the fourth, Puerto Rico got on the board by getting a leadoff double, later followed by a two-out RBI single, an error and another double to tie the game 2-2. In the bottom of the frame, Canada loaded the bases on singles by Kianna Jones (Surrey, B.C.) and Grace Messmer (Surrey, B.C.) and a walk to Nicole Rivait (Oakville, Ont.), but a double play from second to home to first ended the inning.
 
Aleshia Ocasio gave Puerto Rico the lead with a solo homerun with two outs in the top of the fifth. Canada put two more runners on base with walks in the bottom of the fifth, but another double play thwarted their efforts. Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) led off the bottom of the sixth with her second single of the game and later advanced to third on a two-out error, but a strikeout ended the threat. Franklin singled and Rivait walked to put two more runners on in the seventh, but a fly out to center ended the game.
 
“Every time we battle (Puerto Rico), it’s always a great game” said infielder Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) after the game. “We were one swing away from winning or tying that game. That’s how we want this sport to be – a competitive game every time we play.”
 
Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) started the game in the circle for Canada, scattering three hits without allowing a run and striking out three batters in two innings of work. Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) allowed two runs – one earned – on four hits and struck out two, while Dawn Bodrug (Georgetown, Ont.) took the loss, allowing a run on two hits with two strikeouts in three innings and a third. Franklin and Polidori each singled twice at the plate for Canada, with Hicks adding a two-run double.
 
“We battled until the end, I liked how the girls responded in the fifth and sixth” said head coach Kaleigh Rafter. “We have to put a bit more pressure earlier in the game, that’s what we talked about. We need to play more of a complete game. I thought we left a few innings out there through the middle.”
 
Box Score: Puerto Rico 3 vs. Canada 2
 
Team Canada (2-1) finished second in Group B and will play Mexico (2-1, second in Group A) in their first Super Round game at 4:00pm local time (3:00pm EDT) on Thursday, then the United States (3-0, first in Group A) at 1:00pm local time (noon) on Friday. The top two teams after the Super Round will advance to Saturday’s gold medal game, with the next two playing for bronze.
 
Earlier on Wednesday, Cuba defeated Peru 4-0 and the United States defeated Mexico 7-0 to finish first in Group A.