Sports

Canada dominates Dominican Republic to begin Canada Cup international softball tournament

by jtsg | July 1, 2007 at 01:22 pm

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Surrey, British Columbia, Canada (2007/6/30) — Team Canada was impressive in a 9-2 victory over Team Dominican Republic in its opening game of round-robin play at 2007 Canada Cup international women’s fast pitch softball tournament as the host national team at South Surrey Athletic Park on Saturday.

Canadian right fielder Melanie Matthews hit a 2-run homerun to highlight a 6-run fourth inning en route to closing out the Dominican Republic in 5 innings with the mercy-rule in effect. With Canada leading 2-0 in the bottom of the 4th, (2B) Cambria McKay drove in (DH) Noemie Marin with an RBI single followed by Matthews’ 2-run homer. (CF) Allison Bradley then added an RBI double before (C) Erin Cumpstone singled to drive her home. Finally, Cumpstone went on to score herself when (LF) Janiva Willis reached base on an error. Canada’s starting pitcher Robin Mackin turned in a complete game performance striking out 6 while allowing 2 runs on 4 hits for the win. Dominican Republic’s Luisa Nuñez took the loss allowing all 9 Canadian runs (7 of which were earned) on 12 hits.

Team USA was also victorious against its first round-robin opponent as the 2004 Athens Olympic gold-medalist squad edged Japan Elite 1-0 in a pitching duel. American pitchers Jennie Finch Daigle, Jennie Ritter, and Monica Abbott combined for the shutout yielding only 6 hits in 7 innings. Abbott’s performance was the most dominant of the three, as the recent graduate of University of Tennessee struck out 7 of the 9 hitters she faced in 2 and 2/3rd innings for the save. USA scored the game-winning run on (RF) Kelly Kretschman’s RBI hit-by-pitch from Japan Elite reliever Marika Goto with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th inning. It spoiled a solid start by Japan Elite’s Hiroko Sakai, who held American batters off the scoreboard over 4 innings. Sakai struck out 3 while allowing 3 hits and one walk. (P) Ritter was credited with the win for USA as she replaced (P) Finch Daigle after 3 innings to pitch 1 and 1/3rd innings of middle-relief.

The defending 2006 Canada Cup champion Team Australia defeated local club Team White Rock Renegades 9-0 to record the most lopsided win of the day.

At the end of the first day of round-robin play, Team Japan, Team Japan Denso Club, and Team Chinese Taipei along with Canada, USA, and Australia were standings leaders having won their respective opening games. With the tournament’s 14 teams split into two pools, each team will play 6 round-robin games before the top 4 teams in each pool advance to the elimination championship round.

Score summaries:

-- Jun 30, 2007 (Day 1) --