Team Canada was on the field for the first time of the 2021 season against the Florida SouthWestern State College Buccaneers in a 10-inning exhibition game.
Offensively, Canada scored early and often facing their first live pitching since last playing in 2019. Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) hit a two-run homerun to left-center in the top of the first inning and Canada added two more runs in the second on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball. Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) hit a two-run single in the third, with Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) driving in a run with a triple and scoring on a double to left by Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) to give Canada an 8-0 lead.
Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) delivered a run-scoring double in the top of the sixth and Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) added an RBI double of her own in the eighth, with two more runs scoring on an error and sacrifice fly in the inning. Team Canada added runs on a solo homerun by Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) and a run-scoring error in the ninth, and Harshman drove in another run with a double to center in the 10th to complete the scoring for Canada.
Regula was in the circle for the first time since 2016 and struck out four batters, walked one and hit one in her two innings of work, followed by Hovinga who struck out three of the six batters she faced. Caira struck out two while also facing the minimum six batters in her two innings of work, followed by Rackel who struck out two and allowed a two-out single just past the second baseman in the seventh before retiring the side in order in the eighth. Lawrie-Locke struck out three batters and issued one walk before closing out the game.
Canada
9–1
FSW Buccaneers
Sat Apr 3 – 11:00am EDT
Team Canada opened the scoring in the top of the second when Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) led off with a double and Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) was hit by a pitch with both runners moving up before scoring on a two-run single by Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.). Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) reached on an error to lead off the third and later scored on an RBI ground out by Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) to give Canada a 3-0 lead.
The red and white added a run in the fifth, as Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) led off with a single, stole second and moved up to third by tagging up on a fly out to right before scoring on a wild pitch. The following inning, Groenewegen reached on an error and was replaced by pinch runner Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) who advanced to second on a passed ball before scoring on a single by Lye. In the eighth, Lye led off with a double and advanced on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by Callum Pilgrim (Abbotsford, B.C.) to increase Canada's lead to 6-0.
Canada pushed three runs in to score in the ninth. Salling drew a leadoff walk, Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) singled and Polidori was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) hit a two-run single and Lye later brought a run home.
Canada's pitching held the Buccaneers to only one hit over the first nine innings but three consecutive hits in the bottom of the tenth allowed them to score their run. Groenewegen pitched the first three innings, striking out four and hitting one batter. Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, B.C.) sat down all six batters she faced - four of them on strikeouts - in her two innings of work. Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, Alta.) struck out one, Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) allowed a hit and notched two strikeouts, and Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) retired two batters on strikes as all three pitched one inning. Danielle Lawrie-Locke (Langley, B.C.) struck out three batters over the last two innings, but allowed a pair of singles and an RBI double before closing out the game.
After Victoria Hayward (Toronto, Ont.) led off the game with a single and later stole second but was left stranded, the Gators opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Canadian pitcher Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) - pitching in her first game since 2019 - hit the first batter who later scored on a double to left. The Canadian offence picked Groenewegen up immediately with Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) leading off the second with a single and scoring on a double to left by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) followed by a run-scoring single by Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) as Canada took a 2-1 lead.
Groenewegen struck out the side in the bottom of the second, but the Gators got a triple to start the bottom half of the third and went on to load the bases with no outs, but only managed to score one run on a sacrifice fly as Groenewegen struck out two more batters to keep the game tied. Canada responded once again in the top of the fourth, with Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) lacing a one-out double inside right field line and moving up to third on a single by Hayward, who advanced to second on a throw to the plate. Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) delivered a two-run double to left and later scored on a double by Polidori as Canada took a 5-2 lead.
Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) came on in relief in the bottom of the fourth and allowed two batters to reach on a hit by pitch and a single on a tapper in front of the catcher but notched two strikeouts to keep hold the three-run lead. Caira issued a leadoff walk in the fifth before the ame was called due to inclement weather.
Polidori led Canada at the plate with a double, a single and an RBI, Hayward added two singles and Salling had the game-winning two-run double for Canada. Franklin and Leung each added a double, with Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) and Entzminger adding singles. In the circle, Groenewegen allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts in three innings, while Caira allowed a hit and struck out two in one inning.
Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) was hit by a pitch to start the game and Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) - playing against her alma mater at Western Kentucky - hit a bunt single to put the two first batters on, but Canada was unable to open the scoring in the first. Meanwhile, Danielle Lawrie-Locke (Lanley, B.C.) got the ball for Canada and struck out the side in the first and retired WKU in order in the second, facing the minimum in her two inning sof work. Canada put two runners on thanks to a single by Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) and a walk by Franklin in the top of the third, but three fly outs kept the game scoreless.
Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) retired all six batters she faced in the third and fourth innings before Canada got on the board in the fifth. Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) got the offence going by hitting a triple to right, followed by Lye using her speed to get to second on a bunt double. Harshman hit a sacifice fly to left to score Leung, followed by a two-run homerun to center by Franklin as Canada took a 3-0 lead. Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, Alta.) kept the Hilltopper bats at bay with another three up, three down inning, while Canada added a run to its lead in the sixth when Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) singled, stole second and advanced to third when the catcher's throw was off the mark and scored on a ground out by Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.).
Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, B.C.) kept Canada's dominant pitching performance going by throwing a perfect bottom half of the sixth, and Canada once again added to its lead on a run-scoring single to right by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.). Western Kentucky broke up the perfect game with a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh and got another baserunner with a walk, but Regula was able to close out the game for the shutout.
Franklin paced Canada with two hits including her two-run blast and Lye contributed a double and a single. Leung tripled and Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) added a double, with Rafter and Entzminger each chipping in with singles. In the circle, Canada's four pitchers limited WKU to one hit and one walk, with Lawrie striking out three and one strikeout each for Rackel and Regula. Hovinga picked up the win.
Canada
9–1
FIU Golden Panthers
Wed Apr 21 – 6:00pm EDT
Team Canada opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of two errors to bring one run home and a two-run double to center by Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) to jump up to a 3-0 lead. The red and white added to its lead in the fourth, when Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) led off with a single and scored on a triple to center by Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) who later crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to left by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) to make it 5-0.
Meanwhile, Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, B.C.) got the start for Canada in the pitcher’s circle and threw the first four innings, issuing only one walk in the bottom of the fourth with the runner advancing to third before being retired trying to score on an unconventional 5-3-2 double play. She struck out four batters in her four innings in the circle.
Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) led off the top half of the fifth with a single to left. Callum Pilgrim (Abbotsford, B.C.) pinch ran and moved up to second on a passed ball before scoring on a double down the third base line by Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.). Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) relieved Regula in the circle to start the fifth and retired the first two batters she faced, but then got into some trouble allowing a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases but she got the next batter to ground out to third to end the threat.
In the sixth, Franklin laced a two-out double to center and scored on a single to left by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) to increase the lead to 7-0. The following inning, Team Canada got the offence going with two outs again when Lye singled to left followed by a double by Pilgrim before Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) delivered a two-run single to center. The teams played an eighth inning to give Canada an opportunity to get more at bats and pitching reps, with FIU getting on the board with a solo homerun to center by Carmen Perez before Caira finished the game with a strikeout and a pop out back to her.
Canada produced 17 hits with at least one from each of the eleven batters they sent to the plate. Franklin led the way by going 3-for-4 with a double and a run batted in, with Lye collecting three singles, Pilgrim doubled and singled and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) singled twice. Polidori drove in two runs with a double, Harshman had a hit and two RBIs, Wideman brought one run in to score on a triple and Leung scored one with a double. Salling also provided a run-scoring single, with Groenewegen and Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) each contributing a single.
Caira allowed one run on three hits and struck out four in her four innings of work.
Italy threatened early by loading the bases on a leadoff single by Laura Vigna followed by two walks, but Canadian starting pitcher Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, B.C.) found her groove and struck out the next three batters to leave all three runners stranded on base. In the bottom of the first, Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) worked a one-out walk and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) later singled before Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) drilled a three-run homerun to right. The following inning, Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and to third by tagging up on a fly ball to left before scoring on a single by Rafter to increase Canada’s lead to 4-0.
Team Canada added two runs in the fourth when Franklin led off with a single and Harshman connected with a two-run shot to right. Italy got on the board in the top of the fifth, getting bunt single by Brittany Abacherli to start the inning and she moved up on an illegal pitch before scoring on a single to left by Emily Patricia Carosone, making the score 6-1. Canada responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, starting with a pair of one-out single by Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) and Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) before Franklin doubled to left-center to score one and the other run crossing the plate on a double to left-center by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.).
Gilbert led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk before Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) hit a towering shot over the centerfield fence to give Canada a 10-1 lead. Groenewegen retired Italy in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Franklin had a double, two singles and drove in a run for Canada, with Gilbert, Harshman and Polidori each adding a homerun. Salling, Rafter and Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) contributed two hits apiece, and Lye chipped in with a single and a run scored. In the circle, Regula pitched four innings for Canada, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out seven batters to earn the win. Groenewegen came on in relief to start the fifth, allowing a run on two hits and striking out two in three innings for the save.
Italy started the game with an infield single by Laura Vigna but Canadian pitcher Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) got a strikeout and induced a double play on a ground ball to second to end the inning. Canada’s offence went to work immediately, with Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) leading off with a single up the middle, followed by a walk by Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) with both runners scoring on a double to center by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). Salling advanced to third by tagging up on a fly ball to center before scoring on a ground out to second, giving Canada an early 3-0 lead.
The pitching took over from there as neither team was able to get much going in the second, third and fourth innings off Caira and Greta Cecchetti of Italy. The Italians was able to produce a two-out solo homerun off the bat of Andrea Marie Filler in the top of the fifth, but Canada responded with a run in the bottom of the inning when Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) connected with a one-out triple and scored on a wild pitch.
The red and white tacked on three runs in the bottom of the sixth to complete the scoring. Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) led off with a walk followed by a single by Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) before Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) brought Gilbert in to score with a double down the right field line. Wideman later stepped up and hit a two-run double to right-center field as Canada went up 7-1. Italy managed a pair of singles by Emily Patricia Carosone and Beatrice Ricchi in the seventh, but Danielle Lawrie (Langley, B.C.) notched two strikeouts to end the game.
Wideman led Canada at the plate with a triple, a double and two runs batted in, with Salling producing a two-run double. Entzminger doubled and drove in a run, with Gilbert getting an RBI as well. Franklin singled twice with Harshman and Polidori each adding one. Caira pitched four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three to pick up the win. Lawrie allowed a run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts in three innings for the save.
For the third consecutive game, Laura Vigna singled to start the game for Italy but Canadian pitcher Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) settled in and got two ground outs and a pop out to leave her stranded at third. Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, launching an opposite field homerun to left field with one out to give Canada a 1-0 lead. In the second, Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) earned a leadoff walk, stole second and moved up to third on an error before scoring on a sacrifice fly to right by Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.). Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) followed that up with a single and moved up to third after a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases and crossed the plate on a walk by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.).
Canada added a run to its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Polidori launched a solo homerun to center to increase Canada’s lead to 4-0. Italy mounted a comeback in the seventh. Andrea Marie Filler started the inning with a single and after a pair of strikeouts by Danielle Lawrie (Langley, B.C.), Amanda Lynn Fama hit a two-run homerun to cut the lead in half. Brittany Abacherli followed with a double on a shallow fly ball to center, but Lawrie struck out the next batter to end the game.
Harshman had a homerun, a single and drove in a run for Canada while Polidori added a solo shot of her own. Entzminger registered a single and drove in a run, with Lye getting a hit and Salling driving in a run. In the pitcher’s circle, Groenewegen pitched four scoreless innings allowing only three hits and one walk, striking out three batters for the win. Lawrie allowed two runs on four hits to go along with three strikeouts.
Italy started the game by loading the bases with no outs, getting a leadoff single by Laura Vigna, a bunt single by Emily Patricia Carosone and a walk. However, Canada’s starting pitcher Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, Alta.) was able to work herself out of the inning without allowing a run, getting a pop out in foul territory, a strikeout and a lineout on a great snag at second by Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.). The red and white built off that energy to put up six runs in the bottom of the frame. Harshman got things started with a one-out double to center followed by a pair of walks to load the bases. Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) hit a two-run single through the right side of the infield, and after a walk loaded the bases once again, Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) hit a triple to right-center to score three runs and she crossed the plate on a single by Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.).
Team Canada kept their foot on the gas in the second, loading the bases again on singles by Harshman and Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) and a walk to Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). After a fielder’s choice retired Harshman at home, Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) hit a sacrifice fly to left, and a failed pickoff attempt at second brought in the eighth run before Entzminger connected with a two-run blast to left-center to push the lead to 10-0.
Italy got on the board with a run in the top of the third by getting a leadoff single from Amanda Lynn Fama who later scored on a triple by Andrea Marie Filler. Canada got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Groenewegen led off with a double to right-center followed by a bunt single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) to put runners on the corners and a double play on a ground ball to the shortstop allowed the run to score. The Italians started the fourth by loading the bases with three singles and got RBI singles by Vigna and Fama, along with a two-run single by Filler to make the score 11-5. Once again, Softball Canada responded with Rafter hitting a leadoff single and later scoring on a triple by Entzminger.
In the bottom of the sixth, Canada loaded the bases with a pair of singles by Polidori and Entzminger and a hit by pitch to Groenewegen before Franklin hit a two-run single up the middle. Italy got a one-out single in the seventh but could not get any closer.
Hovinga allowed five runs on nine hits and sruck out one in three innings for Canada in the pitcher’s circle, while Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) scattered five hits and struck out eight batters in four innings of scoreless relief. Entzminger had a huge game at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a homerun, two triples and six runs batted in. Harshman and Groenewegen each had a double and a single, Franklin collected three singles and drove in two runs, Rafter singled twice and Polidori also contributed a single and an RBI as Canada produced 14 hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Team Florida opened the scoring with four runs in the top of the second on a two-run homerun by Jordan Roberts, a run-scoring double by Aubrey Leach and another run crossing on a passed ball. Canada came roaring back in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out on a single by Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.), a hit by pitch to Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) and a walk by Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) before Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) was hit by a pitch to bring a run to the plate and Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) hit a two-run single up the middle. With two outs, Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) hit a single off the pitcher to bring in Leung and an error on a toss to first allowed Franklin to score and Salling to move up to second. An error by the second baseman on the next play brought Salling in to score as Canada took a 6-4 lead.
Florida scored two runs to tie the game in the third on an RBI single by Lilli Piper and a sacrifice fly by Aleshia Ocasio. Team Canada regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) drew a leadoff walk before Polidori drilled a two-run homerun to left. Entzminger followed that up with a double and later scored on an error to put Canada up 9-6.
In the top of the seventh, Morgan Klaevemann was hit by a pitch, stole second and moved up to third on a single to left before scoring on a sacrifice fly to left to get Team Florida within two. Another single put the tying run on first and a passed ball moved the runners up to second and third, but Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) got a big strikeout to end the game.
Lauren Regula (Trail, B.C.) started the game in the pitcher’s circle for Canada and allowed six runs on five hits and two walks, striking out six batters in three innings of work. Groenewegen picked up the win, allowing one run on two hits and retiring eight batters on strikes. At the plate, Polidori went 2-for-2 with a homerun, two runs batted in and two walks and Franklin had two singles and two runs batted in. Entzminger and Harshman each doubled, while Salling and Gilbert each had a hit.
The second game of the doubleheader was scoreless through four complete innings as Canada’s Jenna Caira (Toronto, Ont.) held Florida to only two hits and a walks, while the Canadian offence worked three walks over the first two innings and a double by Kelsey Harshman Delta, B.C.) in the third but was unable to bring anyone home. Danielle Lawrie-Locke (Langley, B.C.) retired Florida in order in the top of the fifth before Canada opened the scoring in the bottom of the inning. Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.) led off with a single up the middle followed by an infield single by Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) before Harshman hit a run-scoring single later followed by an RBI double to left by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.) for a 2-0 lead.
The red and white added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) walked and later scored on an infield single by Harshman. Lawrie-Locke closed out the game by retiring all nine batters she faced over the last three innings.
Caira and Lawrie combined on a two-hitter, while Harshman had three of Canada’s six hits, including a double and two RBIs. Rafter added a run-scoring double, with Lye and Wideman each chipping in with a single.
In the first inning, Florida got singles from Jessie Warren and Morgan Howe but was unable to score, while Canada opened the scoring in the bottom of the inning when Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) was hit by a pitch, advanced to third after a single by Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.). Florida got that run back immediately in the second, loading the bases with three singles before Aubrey Leach hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Team Canada regained the lead on a solo homerun to left by Entzminger in the bottom of the third.
Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) doubled to left in the fourth and scored on a single by Joey Lye (Toronto, Ont.), with Lye later scoring on an error as Canada built a 4-1 lead. The score remained the same until the Florida made a late push in the top of the seventh, getting a one-out single by Carsyn Gordon and a two-run homerun by Lilli Piper to cut the lead to 4-3. Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C.) struck out the next batter to end the game.
Morgan Rackel (Calgary, Alta.) started the game in the pitcher's circle for Canada and allowed one run on six hits and notching three strikeouts in four innings to earn the win. Groenewegen registered the save, allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in three innings of relief. Canada produced five hits at the plate, led by Entzminger’s homerun and doubles by Salling and Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.). Franklin and Lye each contributed in a single, with Lye driving in a run.
Canada jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the first inning. Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) and Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) both singled and scored on a double to left by Kelsey Harshman (Delta, B.C.), with Harshman crossing the plate on a single by Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, Ont.). After a single by Jenn Salling (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ont.) hit a two-run single to center followed by a single by Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) before Polidori hit a three-run shot to left to put Canada up 8-0.
Florida was able to cut the big lead in half with four runs in the second by loading the bases with two singles and a walk before Jessie Warren hit a grand slam to left center. The following inning, Florida got a pair of singles before Aleshia Ocasio hit a three-run blast, with Morgan Howe later hitting an RBI double to tie the game up 8-8.
Jen Gilbert (Saskatoon, Sask.) hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the fourth to put Canada back on top, and despite both team putting runners on base no other runs came in to score as Canada completed the four game sweep.
Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, Alta.) pitched the first two innings for Canada, surrendering six runs on eight hits and striking out two. Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, B.C.) pitched two innings and a third of relief, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks striking out one. Danielle Lawrie-Locke (Langley, B.C.) closed out the game, scattering four hits and striking out two in two innings and two thirds. The Canadian bats produced 14 hits, led by Polidori and Gilbert who each hit a homerun and a single with Franklin hitting a triple and two singles. Harshman had a two-run double, Leung added a two-run single, Salling had two hits and Rafter, Wideman and Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, B.C) each had one.
