Castions di Strada, Italy - The Canadian Women’s National Softball Team opened the 2023 WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage with a 5-0  win over the Philippines on Saturday. 

Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) got the start in the circle for Canada. Groenewegen pitched three innings, with two hits, zero runs and seven strikeouts.

In the bottom of the third, Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) got Canada on the board first with a three-run home run to give Canada a 3-0 lead.

Canada made a pitching change in the top of the fourth, bringing in Dawn Bodrug (Georgetown, Ont.). 

In the bottom of the fourth, Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) hit a solo home run to make it 4-0. 

Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) tripled down the left side to score Leung to make it 5-0 Canada in the bottom of the fifth. 

Canada made another pitching change in the top of the sixth when Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) took over the pitcher’s circle. Bodrug pitched two innings, with two hits, no runs and three strikeouts.

Canada would go on to win 5-0 in their Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage debut.

Canada will play a doubleheader on Sunday against Venezuela at 2:00pm CET (8:00am EDT) and Italy at 8:00pm CET (2:00 pm EDT). All games will be livestreamed on gametime.sport.  For event information, please click here.