Team Canada was defeated 12-3 by Japan and kept the bronze medal of the 12th Women’s Softball Championship, in a game played at the Independencia Stadium in La Rinconada.
The game started as scheduled, as 4:00 p.m. Japan led off the second inning putting a runner on second base, but a heavy rain delayed the game until 6:50 p.m., after an amazing job by the maintenance staff at the stadium in getting the field ready for action in record time.
The break affected Canadian starter Danielle Lawrie (losing pitcher), who could not control the Asian bats, with three wild pitches, one walk and now HBP, with two hits, which resulted in three runs.
Japan’s Mika Someya showed greater confidence and calm, and was able to control the Canadian bats.
The Japanese team scored runs gradually to ensure their presence in for the fourth consecutive time in a Championship final (1998, 2002, 2006 and now 2010), all against the United States.
This renewed team, with six players with Olympic experience, looks now to avenge the loss against Team USA, as they did in the Olympic Games in Beijing.
The base running skills and timely batting have been the determinant factors in this Asian team, which beats Canada for the second time. Japan had already defeated Canada in the first round with a score of 2-1.
Japan used their 13 hits and their rivals’ five errors, two walks and a wild, to score the 12 runs.
Canada tried to react in the fourth inning with single to center field by Jennifer Yee, walk to Sheena Lawrick, single down the middle by Jen Salling and groundball to second base by Kaleigh Rafter, bringing Yee home.
In the sixth, they scored another on an error by shortstop Emi Matsuoka in a hit by Sheena Lawrick and RBI double by Rafter.
Japan’s offense was led by: Emi Yamada 2 for 4 (RBI), Haruma Sakamoto 2 for 4 (run), Ayumi Karino 2 for 5 (2 runs and RBI), Satoko Mabuchi 2 for 5 (run and 2 RBIs). On Canada’s side: Kaleigh Rafter 2 for 3 (2 RBIs), Jen Salling 1 for 2, Jennifer Yee 1 for 3 (run),
R H E
Japan 0 3 1 1 1 1 5 12 13 2
Canada 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 3 5 5
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Canada took the bronze in Softball Championship
