Women’s Baseball legends Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson retire

Women’s Baseball legends Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson retire
16/03/2019

The two veterans were on the original Canadian National Team during the first ever Women’s Baseball World Cup, that the North American Country hosted back in 2004. Stephenson will join the coaching staff

Baseball Canada announced that Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson are retiring from the Women’s Baseball National Team. They both began their careers back in 2004, the year when Canada hosted the first ever WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.

Psota (born 1986) and Stephenson (1982) are the most decorated female athletes to wear a Canadian National Team uniform, Baseball Canada’s official website says. They contributed to a Pan American Games silver medal in 2015, WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup silver medals in 2008 and 2016 and bronze medals in 2004, 2006, 2012 and 2018.

The two veterans were on the field in the third-place game of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2018. Psota played first base and went 1 for 3 as the clean-up hitter. Stephenson batted seventh and played third base. She went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs.
Canada needed three extra innings to beat the USA.

“I love playing baseball and will definitely miss the feeling of competing in big games, but there comes a time in every athlete’s career when it’s best to move on to new opportunities,” commented Ashley Stephenson through Baseball Canada’s website.

“I am most proud of how much our program (and sport) has developed and grown since 2004,” added Kate Psota “There’s still lots of room for growth, but I never imagined when we started it would be at the point we are today.”

Canada's Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson are retiring

A swing by Katherine Psota

The retirement of Psota and Stephenson follows that of Nichole Luchansky. André Lachance, the only manager that the programme has ever know, will become the General Manager, with Aaron Myette moving to manager from pitching coach.
André Lachance commented on Psota and Stephenson retiring: “I knew in the back of my mind that this day would come for Kate and Ashley, but for them to officially retire is very emotional for me and will take some time to sink in. Not only have they meant so much to our national team program, but they have also meant a ton to women’s baseball in general.”

Ashley Stephenson will join Myette’s coaching staff.
“I always knew, once my playing days were over, I wanted to coach,” commented Stephenson.

Canada's Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson are retiring

Ashley Stephenson during the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup 2018

Canada is the number 2 Nation in WBSC Women’s Baseball World Rankings.

Related article: The future of Women’s Baseball