Received: 8/20/08 3:01:52 AM From: "Gilles LeBlanc" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Canadian_Softball_Team_Finishes_Just_Out_of_Medal_Round_/_ FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE August20th, 2008 CanadianSoftball Team Finishes Just Out of Medal Round (Beijing,China) The Canadian Womens softball team had their sights set on a podiumfinish at the Beijing Olympic Games, but the young team pushed a much moreexperienced Australian team to the brink and could not put them away, despite avery strong effort. Team Canada veterans Lauren Bay Regula (Trail, BC) andAlison Bradley (Pinkerton, ON) were the key contributors, but Australia came upwith some timely hits to move on with a 5-3 win. Beforethe game started, the Canadian players gathered around the on-deck circle andput their arms around each other, staying loose and positive as the biggestgame of their lives was just in front of them. Lauren Bay Regula certainly didher part in motivating the Canadian squad, striking out the side in the top ofthe first before racing back to the dugout to high fives and smiles all around.It certainly looked like everyone was ready for this game, and it was certainlyone to remember. However,Australian lead-off hitter Sandy Lewis blasted a homerun to deep left field inthe top of the second inning to open the scoring, giving Australia an early 1-0lead with a lot of ball left to be played. Canada threatened in the bottom ofthe inning, as Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, AB) walked, Megan Timpf (Port Dover,ON) was hit by a pitch and Alison Bradley singled to load the bases with oneout, but Canada was unable to push a run in to score. AfterAustralia increased its lead to 2-0 on a sacrifice fly in the top of the thirdinning, the Canadian bats went right back to work, and was finally rewarded fortheir efforts. Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) led off the inning with a sharpsingle to right field, and after two quick outs, Matthews tried to makesomething happen and succeeded in doing so. She stole second base, and as thethrow sailed into centerfield with nobody covering second base, she was able toadvance to third. Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) forced a walk and stolesecond base, and Sheena Lawrick also forced a walk to load the bases for thesecond straight inning. Australia then pulled starting pitcher Melanie Roche infavour of Tanya Harding, but that was not enough to slow down the Canadianrally as Megan Timpf forced yet another walk to allow Matthews to cross theplate. Alison Bradley then drove the second pitch she saw back up the middle toscore two more runs, giving Canada the 3-2 lead! Thatlead was short lived, as after two quick outs, Danielle Stewart drove a balldeep to left field for a game-tying solo homerun in the top of the fourthinning. Bay Regula and Harding continued to battle it out in the pitcherscircle until the top of the sixth inning. Bay Regula struck out the two firstbatters, but ran into some trouble after loading the bases. Kerry Wyborn stuckthe bat out and poked a single just over the outstretched glove of Erin McLean(Whitby, ON) at third base for a single, driving in two runs in the process. Canadacame out swinging in the bottom of the sixth and seventh inning, but was unableto put any runners on base, ending their chances for a medal despite a valianteffort. LaurenBay Regula gave everything she had in the pitchers circle, allowing fourearned runs on five hits while striking out nine hitters. Alison Bradley ledCanada at the plate with two hits, while Melanie Matthews and Jennifer Yee(North Delta, BC) each singled. Box score andPlay-by-play Despitethe loss, Canada was able to prove that they could compete with the best teamsin the world, and came within inches of reaching the medal rounds for the firsttime at the Olympic Games. Still, the fourth place finish is the best ever forCanada, which finished fifth in 1996 and 2004, and eighth in 2000. All the hardwork and effort put in by the players and coaching staff certainly showed onthe field, but in the end it was the experience of the Australian team, who hasplayed together for many years, that made the difference. Lastnight, the United States defeated Japan 4-1 in nine innings to earn a directberth into Thursdays Gold Medal game (6:30am EDT, live on TSN, RDS), whileJapan will face Australia later today (5:00am EDT, live on TSN, RDS) todetermine who will move on to face the United States. -SC- Formore information, please contact: GillesLeBlanc Manager Marketing and Communications SoftballCanada (613)523-3386 x. 3105 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Al's Fastball News *Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/ NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball VIA http://www.webbox.com
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