THUNDER BAY – Team Canada wanted to win its way into next year’s WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.
With a win on Sunday over winless South Korea, they’ll do just that.
One way or another, Canada, as the host of the 2024 event, will be in the field. But proving they belong is important to the young squad, who on Saturday rebounded in a big way, scoring four times in the seventh inning to knock off Australia 11-7.
The win leaves Canada at 3-1, tied with Mexico for second place in the Pool A qualifier, a team they beat to open the tournament.
Mexico faces the daunting task of having to beat the United States to claim second – a team that’s outscored its last two opponents 52-0, including a 23-0 shellacking of Canada on Thursday, as the even shifted to Port Arthur Stadium.
The Mexicans have clinched a spot in the 2024 field, by virtue of the fact Canada has a spot already locked up as host and a 3-1 record that can’t be caught after Australia’s latest loss.
The Canadians and Australians played a back-and-forth match, the lead changing hands three times over seven innings.
Canada opened the scoring in the third, putting up four runs, but gave two back to the Australians in the bottom half of the inning. The Aussies piled on five runs in the fifth to go up 7-4, only to have Canada battle back with three in the sixth to even the score.
It was the seventh that proved to be Australia’s downfall.
Canada’s Emily Baxter opened with a walk, reliever Morgan Doty on the mound for the team from Down Under.
Back-to-back singles by Sena Catterall and Tess Sawkins loaded the bases. Baxter scored on Madison Willan’s groundout that gave Canada an 8-7 lead. Alizee Gelinas singled up the middle to plate a pair of runs and Alexane Fournier followed with another clutch, run-scoring single to make it 11-7.
Leah Cornish led the Australian attack, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Caitlyn Eynon also drove in a pair for Australia.
Six Australian pitchers combined to allow 11 earned runs on 10 hits and 10 walks, including six by starter Genevieve Beacom, who lasted 2.2 innings before giving way to Allison Steane, who got the Australians through five.
Allison Schroder pitched four innings of three-hit ball, allowing four runs, two of them earned. Raine Padgham tossed the other three innings, allowing three runs on six hits.
Canada and Korea play Sunday at 7:30 p.m., a make-up of Friday’s scheduled meeting between the two teams that was rained out.
