Surrey, B.C. – The Canadian Women’s National Softball Team dropped its final preliminary round game 4-3 to Triple Crown Colorado before defeating Canada Elite 8-0 in their first playoff game.
Triple Crown Colorado jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after loading the bases in the bottom of the first and getting a two-run double. After both teams were held scoreless in the second, Team Canada got a single by Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) followed by a walk before Kelsey Jenkins (Delta, B.C.) delivered a two-run double in the top of the third. A single by Holly Speers (Surrey, B.C.) brought Jenkins in to score as Canada took a 3-2 lead. However, Triple Crown Colorado got three consecutive singles in the bottom of the inning to bring the tying run in to score. The next inning, Triple Crown took advantage of an error and later got a run-scoring single to take the 4-3 lead. Team Canada got a single by Speers to start the top half of the sixth and she later advanced to second on a wild pitch, but a pop out on the infield left her stranded. Canada applied even more pressure in the top of the seventh when Victoria Hayward (Toronto, Ont.) hit a one-out single and a pair of walks loaded the bases, but Triple Crown Colorado escaped with the win by inducing a ground ball to the pitcher to end the game and leave three runners stranded on base.
Box Score: Triple Crown Colorado 4 vs. Canada 3
Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) got the ball for Canada in the pitcher’s circle and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts over two innings and two thirds. Danielle Lawrie (Langley, B.C.) pitched three innings and one third of relief, giving up on unearned run on four hits and struck out three. Jenkins had a two-run double for Canada with Speers and Hayward both adding a pair of singles. Jenny Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) contributed a double while Leung and Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) each registered a single.
Team Canada took on Canada Elite for the second consecutive night at Softball City, with Team Canada coming out on top once again. Team Canada took advantage of two errors in the top of the first to open the scoring with one run. In the top of the second, Canada Elite put two runners on base with one out on a walk and a single by Taylor Lundrigan (Abbotsford, B.C.), but the next batter grounded into a double play to keep them off the board. In the bottom of the frame, Gilbert led off with a double and scored on an error by the first baseman on a sacrifice bunt. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) later hit a run-scoring single to give Team Canada a 3-0 lead.
Hayward led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and scored on a double by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). The next inning, Franklin hit a one-out single and scored on a double by Wideman, with Hayward following up with a single before Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) hit a three-run homerun to give Canada the 8-0 win in five innings on the run rule.
Box Score: Team Canada 8 vs. Canada Elite 0
Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) earned the complete game win for Team Canada, scattering five hits over five innings and struck out three batters. Entzminger hit a three-run blast, Wideman drove in two runs with a double and a single while Hayward had three hits and scored three runs. Salling and Franklin each contributed two hits, with Gilbert adding a double. For Canada Elite, Savanna Copeland (Fishers, Ind.) took the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks, striking out two batters in four innings. Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage (Fort McMurray, Alta.) registered one out, giving up four runs on four hits. Lundrigan had a pair of hits, while Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.), Shianne Brannan (Chino, Calif.) and Nicole Rivait (Oakville, Ont.) each registered one.
With the win, Team Canada will stay in the winner’s bracket and take on the winner of a game between Triple Crown Colorado and New Zealand. The loss dropped Canada Elite down to the second bracket where they will play the winner of a game between China and the Czech Republic. Game times for remaining playoff games will be confirmed after the mornings games on Saturday.
Triple Crown Colorado jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after loading the bases in the bottom of the first and getting a two-run double. After both teams were held scoreless in the second, Team Canada got a single by Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) followed by a walk before Kelsey Jenkins (Delta, B.C.) delivered a two-run double in the top of the third. A single by Holly Speers (Surrey, B.C.) brought Jenkins in to score as Canada took a 3-2 lead. However, Triple Crown Colorado got three consecutive singles in the bottom of the inning to bring the tying run in to score. The next inning, Triple Crown took advantage of an error and later got a run-scoring single to take the 4-3 lead. Team Canada got a single by Speers to start the top half of the sixth and she later advanced to second on a wild pitch, but a pop out on the infield left her stranded. Canada applied even more pressure in the top of the seventh when Victoria Hayward (Toronto, Ont.) hit a one-out single and a pair of walks loaded the bases, but Triple Crown Colorado escaped with the win by inducing a ground ball to the pitcher to end the game and leave three runners stranded on base.
Box Score: Triple Crown Colorado 4 vs. Canada 3
Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) got the ball for Canada in the pitcher’s circle and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts over two innings and two thirds. Danielle Lawrie (Langley, B.C.) pitched three innings and one third of relief, giving up on unearned run on four hits and struck out three. Jenkins had a two-run double for Canada with Speers and Hayward both adding a pair of singles. Jenny Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) contributed a double while Leung and Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) each registered a single.
Team Canada took on Canada Elite for the second consecutive night at Softball City, with Team Canada coming out on top once again. Team Canada took advantage of two errors in the top of the first to open the scoring with one run. In the top of the second, Canada Elite put two runners on base with one out on a walk and a single by Taylor Lundrigan (Abbotsford, B.C.), but the next batter grounded into a double play to keep them off the board. In the bottom of the frame, Gilbert led off with a double and scored on an error by the first baseman on a sacrifice bunt. Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) later hit a run-scoring single to give Team Canada a 3-0 lead.
Hayward led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and scored on a double by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). The next inning, Franklin hit a one-out single and scored on a double by Wideman, with Hayward following up with a single before Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) hit a three-run homerun to give Canada the 8-0 win in five innings on the run rule.
Box Score: Team Canada 8 vs. Canada Elite 0
Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) earned the complete game win for Team Canada, scattering five hits over five innings and struck out three batters. Entzminger hit a three-run blast, Wideman drove in two runs with a double and a single while Hayward had three hits and scored three runs. Salling and Franklin each contributed two hits, with Gilbert adding a double. For Canada Elite, Savanna Copeland (Fishers, Ind.) took the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks, striking out two batters in four innings. Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage (Fort McMurray, Alta.) registered one out, giving up four runs on four hits. Lundrigan had a pair of hits, while Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.), Shianne Brannan (Chino, Calif.) and Nicole Rivait (Oakville, Ont.) each registered one.
With the win, Team Canada will stay in the winner’s bracket and take on the winner of a game between Triple Crown Colorado and New Zealand. The loss dropped Canada Elite down to the second bracket where they will play the winner of a game between China and the Czech Republic. Game times for remaining playoff games will be confirmed after the mornings games on Saturday.
