July 29, 2024

By Melissa Verge

Canadian Baseball Network

It was a roller coaster of a ride for the home side as Canada wound up going off the rails, losing to six-time world champion Japan in extra innings 7-6 at the Women’s Baseball World Cup at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Monday night.

A late game rally from Canada in the sixth forced extra innings, but an attempt to tie the score again in the eighth inning, after a number of costly errors, fell short.

The loss evens Canada’s record at 1-1 going into Day 3 of the World Cup on Tuesday.

“Not too much focus or thinking about that game, we’ve already put it behind us,” said Canada’s manager Anthony Pluta in an interview late Monday night.

Japan went on to add four runs in extras, with its tie-breaking run, Miwa Naraoka, scoring on two consecutive Canadian throwing errors, two of the five errors the Canadians had on the night.

Then Haruna Tadano singled to left field, giving Japan a 6-3 lead. She came around to score Japan’s seventh and final run. It turned out that Japan, winners of 31 straight on the international stage, would need that run.

Alexane Fournier (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, scoring the ghost runner Alizee Gelinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.). Mia Valcke (St. Mary’s, Ont.) knocked in a run on a ground ball and Maddie Willan (Edmonton, Alta.) did the same to score Fournier. But the rally by Canada would fall one run short.

Raine Padgham (Abbotsford, BC) got the start for Canada and kept her team in the game, holding Japan to two runs over four innings. The right-hander left the game unexpectedly in the top of the fifth with an injury, holding her right elbow.

Padgham was seen by the trainer and the doctor, Pluta said, and they think it’s a bit of a strain, but will know more on Tuesday.

Japan got the bats going early, scoring its first run with nobody out in the first. Despite that, Padgham got out of the inning with minimal damage, and left a Japan runner stranded at third.

In the fourth with one out, Japan added to its lead with a run-scoring double to left by Yuzuha Nakamura.

Two innings later, Japan tacked on another run with a squeeze bunt by Kae Iwami, making it 3-0.

It was a quiet evening for Canada’s bats up until the sixth inning, when the bats came alive to tie the score 3-3.

The rally started with a bases-loaded walk and finished with a bases-loaded, two-out, two-run single from Zoe Hicks (Boissevain, Man.) which sent the game into extra innings.

That was Hicks’ second big hit of the tournament in as many games. In the first game, Hicks hit a three-run double with two outs and the bases loaded in a 7-2 victory over Mexico.

Despite the loss, Canada had some incredible defence in the field, with Sena Catterall (Pierrefonds, Que.) stealing a hit away from Japan making a diving grab in the fourth.

Tess Sawkins (Victoria, BC), also had an outstanding catch for Canada in right.

“I was definitely screaming and cheering with both hands up in the air on both of the catches, it was quite impressive,” Pluta said.

Canada’s catcher Kaitlyn Ross (Redcliff Alta.) was also a bright light on defence for the Canucks, throwing out two runners at second in back-to-back innings. The second runner Ross threw out was initially called safe, but the call was challenged by the Canadians and overturned. In the top of the fifth, Ross threw a strike to third to gun down her third runner of the game.

Having her behind the plate is key for them not only with her ability, but with the experience she brings, Pluta said. She was a part of Canada’s roster the last time they went to the World Cup in 2018.

Mika Tai, 1-0, who pitched 2 1/3 innings, was the winning pitcher for Japan, while Sophy Gagné (Sainte-Martine, Que.) 0-1, took the loss.

Canada will take on Team USA Tuesday at 7 p.m. E.T. for its third game of the World Cup. Team USA has won both of its matchups in the World Cup so far, the first a forfeit by Venezuela, the second an 11-1 win over Mexico Monday afternoon.

If they can keep their energy up heading into the game tomorrow, Pluta is confident his Canadian squad will have success on the field.

“I think we’ll keep the game close and it will be another fun one to watch,” Pluta said.