Puerto Rico tops Cuba, secures second place in Group A. Canada closes perfect

Puerto Rico used a 9-run first inning to beat Cuba, 10-0, and secure the second place in Group A. Cuba finished the Opening Round third place. Both teams will open tomorrow the Super Round of the tournament, looking for one of the two available spots in the Olympic Games.

Puerto Rico sent 13 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored nine runs to take a decisive lead in the game. Aleimalee Lopez started the game for Cuba but didn’t a good outing. She faced the first three hitters of the game with a walk, an error and a single, and left the game. Yilian Tornes came in in relief but couldn’t stop the bleeding, in part because of a pair of defensive miscues. The lefty allowed 6 hits and 6 runs, but only one earned. Lopez came back to the circle and finally could retire the third out on a fly ball to right field.

With a difference of nine runs, Xeana Dung remained in control. The starter clinched her second win of the event, allowing 2 hits with 7 strikeouts. Aleshia Ocasio retired the last out of the game for Puerto Rico.

The game came to an end in the bottom of the fourth when Jenna Cozza hit a walk-off home run to center field.

Canada closes perfect

Host Canada closed today the Opening Round with a four-inning win over Bahamas, 18-0, and advanced undefeated to the Super Round as the winner of Group A. Jenna Caira pitched four innings allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk. Canada scored four runs in the first, exploded with 10 in the third and closed with four more in the fourth episode.

Erika Polidori went 3 for 4, with 3 doubles and 3 runs scored. She produced 4 runs. Beijing 2008 Olympian Jenn Salling also plated 4 runs for the winner.

With today’s results Canada (1st), Puerto Rico (2nd) and Cuba (3rd) advance to the Super Round as the top three teams from Group A. Canada will start tomorrow the Super Round with a 2-0 record, Puerto Rico with 1-1 and Cuba 0-2. Guatemala and Bahamas ended their participation in the event.