After a dramatic ending Canada downed Team USA 15-9 on Monday evening at Telus Field in Edmonton. They survived as the lone undefeated team in the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup. The host of the tournament blew an 8-1 lead in the seventh inning, as the US scored seven in the bottom half to force extra innings. However profiting of wild pitching as well Canada answered with seven runs in the top half of the eighth, deciding the outcome.
Canada didn’t waste any time to make a statement, scoring twice in to the top of the first to lead off the game. Katherine Psota and Meagan Cornelssen, drove in runs with a double and a single. Two innings later Stephanie Savoie scored on a groundout to make it 3-0. They didn’t stop there, as Jenna Flannigan and Nicole Luchanski singled in a pair of runs in the sixth. Team USA got not on the board before the sixth inning, when Tamara Holmes doubled off the wall in left-center field to drive in Michelle Snyder from first.
Canada seemed to blow the score open with three more runs in the seventh. Jennifer Gilroy and Meagan Cornelssen had back-to-back hits to drive in runs, followed by a sac fly of Bradi Wall, who had nearly hit a ball over the right field wall on a triple earlier in the game. Being down 1-8 with one out in the bottom of the seventh, the US comeback hopes got initiated by a throwing error of second base Nicole Luchansky.
This miscue started a big rally, which sent the game into extra innings. After a couple of RBI hits by Stacy Piagno and Michelle Snyder to start the scoring outburst, they loaded the bases with two outs. Caitlin Everett and Bessie Noll were the first to take advantage, cutting the deficit to three runs with a pair of walks. Donna Williams stepped to the plate and after Malaika Underwood scored on a passed ball, she came through to tie the game on a two-run single to center. The US team even put the winning run on second base later, but Natalie Land struck out to give the crowd bonus baseball at Telus Field.
However the momentum changed again right away in the top of the first extra inning at the V Women’s Baseball World Cup. With the IBAF Extra-Inning Tiebreaker Rule in effect, US pitcher Ashley Sujkowski battled major control problems, throwing four wild pitches in a span of a couple of pitches, allowing Canada to score three runs. Two of them scored alone, when catcher Mackenzi Vandergeest couldn’t locate the ball after it went by her. Even though the US coaches changed pitchers, Canada was able to load the bases with one out. They scored a fourth run on a walk, before Bradi Wall doubled to left field to clear the bases. Team USA didn’t manage another comeback. They scored another run on a RBI fielder’s choice, but couldn’t avoid their first loss.
