Received: 7/14/07 9:29:37 AM From: Gilles LeBlanc <gleblanc(at)magma.ca>
Subject: Canada runs into bad luck against Japan; holds on to beat Venezuela -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14th, 2007 Canada runs into bad luck against Japan; holds on to beat Venezuela (Oklahoma City, OK) â Japan was able to pull out a win against Canada for the second time in less than a week, holding the Canadians to only two hits in a 2-0 win at the KFC World Cup of Softball III. Just last Saturday, they eliminated Canada from the Canada Cup with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory. Canada then bounced back by holding on for the win over Venezuela by a 7-6 score in their second game of the day. Japan was led by a very solid pitching tandem of Hiroko Saiko and Makiko Fujiwara, who each surrendered only one hit while not walking a single batter. Sakai started the game and threw five strong innings, striking out four batters along the way. Fujiwara came on in relief for the final two innings and struck out two. Both Japanese runs were scored in the top of the third inning, although Canadian pitcher Robin Mackin (Newmarket, ON) did not give up a hit in the inning. The first Japanese batter walked, and the next batter reached on a failed fielderâs choice. After the runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt, Mackin struck out the next batter on a wild pitch, which allowed the hitter to reach first base. The next batter reached first base on an error, scoring the first run of the game, and the second run was scored moments later after another wild pitch by Mackin. Despite struggling a bit with her control, Mackin pitched well for Canada. She pitched the full seven innings allowing only one earned run on three hits and seven strikeouts, but also walked six. Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) and Erin McLean (Whitby, ON) each chipped in a single for Canada, but both were left stranded at second base after each stealing a base. They were the only base runners Canada had all game. In the second game, Canada jumped up to a 7-0 lead after two innings and was able to cut Venezuelaâs comeback short with a 7-6 win on a hot and steamy afternoon. Canada wasted no time getting on the score board in the top of the first inning. After loading the bases with no outs, Erin Cumpstone (Saskatoon, SK) drove in the first run of the game with an RBI groundout. Erin McLean followed with a two-out single to bring in another run, and Noemie Marin (Acton-Vale, QC) later delivered a two run double to give the Canadians an early 4-0 lead. Canada picked up right where they left off in the top of the second inning, getting their first two batters on base before Alison Bradley (Pinkerton, ON) stroked a two run triple to right field. Bradley then scored on a passed ball to push the score to 7-0. Venezuela woke up in the bottom of the third, sending eleven batters to the plate and scoring five runs on six hits in the long inning. The six first hitters reached base off starting pitcher Katie Rosentreter, scoring three runs before Dione Meier (Saskatoon, SK) came on in relief for Canada. Meier allowed two more runs before leaving the inning with the bases loaded and Canada still up 7-5. Venezuela was able to cut the lead to 7-6 in the fifth inning after a homerun, but that was close as they would get as Canada was able to hold on for the victory. Rosentreter pitched two innings, giving up five earned runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out two. Meier came in and pitched 2 1/3 innings allowing one run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. After pitching seven innings in the first game, Robin Mackin came in to shut the game down pitching 2 2/3 innings to preserve the win. She allowed only one hit and two walks and struck out two. Bradley led Canada at the plate with two hits and two runs batted in, while Cumpstone, McLean Marin, Melanie Matthews, Jennifer Salling (Port Coquitlam, BC) and Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) also contributed to the eight hit attack. Canada returns to action tonight when they will face China at 9:30pm ET in Oklahoma City. The final round-robin game for Canada against the United States will take place Sunday afternoon at 1:00pm ET, and can be seen live on TSN. -SC- For more information, please contact: Gilles LeBlanc Sport/Recreation Management Intern MBA in Sport and Recreation Management University of New Brunswick Coordinator, Marketing and Communications Softball Canada gleblanc(at)softball.ca (613) 523-3386 ext 3105 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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