Japan edges Canada at World Softball Championship

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(Caracas, Venezuela) In a battle of undefeated teams, the Canadian (4-0) and Japanese (4-0) Women?s National Teams played to a hard fought game. After scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth, Japan held on for the 2-1 win in a very solid defensive game. The loss was Canada?s first of the tournament, and they are now tied for second place in Pool A with the Netherlands with a 4-1 record. Canada will play South Africa (1-4) at 5:30pm EDT on Monday, before closing the preliminary round against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
In a well-played game where both teams received quality pitching and made several outstanding defensive plays. Canada had their chances, but could not get a bounce and ended up dropping the hard fought game.
The first three innings went scoreless as Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) had the only hit for Canada and Canadian starting pitcher Danielle Lawrie (Langley, BC) had only given up a double in the third. Defensively, Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, New York) made a great catch at the wall in centerfield as she had to go back to get the ball a foot from the fence to end the first inning.
In the top of the fourth, Canada loaded the bases with one out. Jenn Yee (North Delta, BC) led off the inning with a single to center and was called out at second on a Lawrick sacrifice attempt. Lawrie was hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Evelyne Pare (Ile-Perrot, QC). Jen Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) then singled to right, but the hit was too shallow to push Lawrick in to score. With one out, Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) struck out, and Erin Cumpstone (Saskatoon, SK) struck out on a 3-2 pitch after fouling off five pitches.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Japan was able to score the first run of the game. Japan got a leadoff single, a one out walk and with two out, a ground ball hit to Canada?s short stop Jen Salling took a bad hop and just missed hitting Salling in the face, bouncing into left field to score the first run. Lawrie then induced a fly out to left to end the inning.
Canada answered right back in the top of the fifth. With one out, Melanie Mathews (Surrey, BC) singled with a line drive to left field. Matthews moved to second on a slap out by Caitlin Lever. Jenn Yee stepped up and hit a ground ball past the first baseman into right field and Matthews beat a great throw from right field to tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the fifth, Lawrie was able to get the two first outs, but gave up a double and an infield single that Salling was able to keep from getting into the outfield and had no play. With two strikes, Lawrie jammed the Japanese hitter, who managed to get enough of the ball to bloop it over Salling?s head into left field. The first Japanese runner scored but centre fielder Caitlin Lever threw out the second runner with a perfect throw to the plate.
Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) replaced Lawrie and sat Japan down in order in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, Matthews hit a ground ball single to right field with two out. Lever ended the game with a comebacker to the Japanese pitcher.
Lawrie and Caira combined to give up six hits with one strikeout and one walk. Yee and Mathews each had two hits, while Salling and Lawrick added singles.
In other action on Sunday, Chinese Taipei doubled Argentina 6-3, the United States beat Australia 9-2, China blanked the Dominican Republic 7-0, the Netherlands shut out South Africa 7-0, the Czech Republic edged Botswana 5-4, Venezuela defeated New Zealand 5-2, and Cuba beat Great Britain 4-1.

Press Release Service | Press Releases | SIRC

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