Softball Canada – Irvine, Calif. – The Canadian Women’s National Team improved its record to 3-0 with a 7-0 win over Colombia in five innings at the USA Softball International Cup. Larissa Franklin (Maple Ridge, B.C.) broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homerun in the bottom of the fourth and Canada tacked on four runs in the bottom of the fifth to register the win.
 
Colombia got a lead off walk in the top of the first inning but Canadian starting pitcher Kara Bilodeau (Cumming, Ga.) left her stranded at first by retiring the next three batters. In the bottom of the frame, Canada got a pair of two-out walks but the next batter flew out. Both teams went down in order in the second, and Colombia threatened to open the scoring in the third by loading the bases on a single and a pair of walks, but Kenzie Friesen (Saskatoon, Sask.) came out in relief of Bilodeau and notched a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Canada put two runners on base with a dropped third strike and a walk with Franklin sending a drive over the centerfield fence for the first Canadian hit and a 3-0 lead. The following inning, Canada’s bats got going as Kelsey Jenkins (Delta, B.C.) and Victoria Hayward (Toronto, Ont.) started the inning with singles followed by a walk to load the bases. Nicole Schroeder (Yorba Linda, Calif.) fouled off several pitches before forcing a run home with a walk, followed by a two-run single to center by Erika Polidori (Brantford, Ont.) to make the score 6-0. After another walk loaded the bases once again, Emma Entzminger (Victoria, B.C.) singled to right to end the game on the run rule.
 
Box Score: Canada 7 vs. Colombia 0
 
Friesen earned the win in the pitcher’s circle, allowing only one hit and a walk while striking out three batters in two innings and a third. Bilodeau was just as effective, giving up one hit and three walks and striking out three in two innings and two thirds. At the plate, Franklin and Polidori had the key hits with Jenkins, Hayward and Entzminger each chipping with singles.
 
Team Canada (3-0) will play Japan (2-0) at 11:30am PDT on Wednesday. Other Day 2 scores at the International Cup included a 3-0 win for the Scrap Yard Dawgs against Chinese Taipei, Peru was blanked 2-0 by Chinese Taipei and 10-0 Puerto Rico, Venezuela lost 3-2 to Mexico and 8-1 to USA Blue, USA Red shut out China 2-0 and the Czech Republic defeated Colombia 7-2.
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Gilles LeBlanc
Manager – Marketing & Communications
Softball Canada
p: (613) 523-3386 ext. 3105 | m: (613) 795-1996
w: www.softball.ca | e: gleblanc@softball.ca