SURREY, B.C. — Team Canada’s National Team opened the 2026 Canada Cup Women’s International Softball Championship in impressive fashion, using a balanced offensive attack and four home runs to defeat Brazil 12-1 in five innings on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Team Canada Elite Women were defeated 12-1 by Chinese Taipei in their tournament opener.
Team Canada 12 – 1 Brazil
Canada struck first in the opening inning. After walks by Emma Entzminger and Erika Polidori, and a single from Kelsey Harshman, Kianna Jones lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Entzminger and give Canada an early 1-0 lead.
Brazil responded in the bottom half, loading the bases before tying the game on an RBI groundout by Maria Paula Ueno.
The game remained tied until Canada erupted for six runs in the third inning. Larissa Franklin and Entzminger opened the frame with singles before Harshman delivered a two-run single to center field to put Canada ahead 3-1. Polidori followed with a two-run home run to left field, and consecutive solo shots from Grace Messmer and Logan Forman extended the lead to 7-1.
Canada put the game out of reach in the fourth. Franklin singled to start the inning and later scored on Polidori’s RBI single. With runners on base, Messmer launched her second home run of the game — a grand slam to left field — to cap a five-run inning and give Canada a 12-1 advantage.
Messmer finished with two home runs and five RBIs, while Polidori contributed three RBIs, including a two-run homer. Harshman added two hits and three RBIs, and Franklin scored three runs while collecting two hits.
In the circle, Sara Groenewegen was effective in relief after entering in the second inning. She allowed one run while recording three strikeouts across 2.2 innings before handing the ball to Morgan Reimer, who struck out one in a scoreless fourth inning. Groenewegen returned to record the final three outs in the fifth as Canada secured the run-rule victory.
Canada Elite 1 – 12 Chinese Taipei
Team Canada Elite faced a difficult challenge against a powerful Chinese Taipei squad, falling 12-1 in four innings.
Chinese Taipei scored three runs in the first inning and added five more in the second to build an early 8-0 advantage. The offense was led by Chia-Yi Chen, who went 2-for-2 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs, while Hsuan Liu, Yi-Hsuan Su and Chia-Wen Shen also drove in runs.
Canada’s first scoring opportunity came in the third inning when Donnalea Barnett doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Peyton Bryden brought home Barnett with a groundout to put Canada on the board.
Barnett accounted for Canada’s lone extra-base hit, while Jana Want recorded a single. Tucker reached base twice, drawing a walk and later advancing into scoring position during Canada’s third-inning run.
Chinese Taipei added four more runs in the bottom of the third and held Canada scoreless in the top of the fourth to end the contest via the run rule.
BY THE NUMBERS
Canada National Team
- Grace Messmer: 2 HR, 5 RBI
- Erika Polidori: HR, 3 RBI
- Kelsey Harshman: 2 H, 3 RBI
- Larissa Franklin: 2 H, 3 R
- Logan Forman: HR
Canada Elite Team
- Donnalea Barnett: 1-for-1, 2B, R
- Peyton Bryden: RBI
- Jana Want: 1-for-2
- Avery Tucker: BB, R
WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can rewatch the full games on the CBC Sports YouTube channel, and follow all the action on Softball Canada’s social media channels.
Canada continues play at the 2026 Canada Cup Women’s International Softball Championship today as Team Canada takes on Venezuela and the Elite Team play 222 Fastpitch.
