THUNDER BAY, Ontario - Team USA earned a 7-1 victory over the Women's National Team in front of a thousand boisterous fans at Baseball Central in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for their second win in two nights in the five-game Friendship Series.
BOX SCORE USA 7, Canada 1
Canada, playing as the visiting team, as they alternate each game, took an an early lead when Elli Jesperson (Spruce Grove, AB) led off with a single for the second consecutive night, and advanced to second when Mia Valcke (Stratford, ON) ripped a line drive into the knee of USA starting pitcher Olivia Pichardo, who got to the ball, and tried to make the out. However, the throw, which beat Valcke to the bag, was mishandled at first, allowing Jesperson to swipe third. Daphnée Gélinas (Repentigny, QC) then grounded deep to second base, plating Jesperson, to lead the Americans for the first time. Alizée Gélinas (Trois Riviéres, QC) drew a base on balls, and then both runners advanced on a wild pitch, but the rally was quashed when Pichardo struck out the next pair of hitters.
USA responded strongly in the bottom of the first, as Canada's defense let down starter Raine Padgham (Abbotsford, BC) with three errors in the inning, as they scored four times on just two hits. Alex Hugo led the American offense with two of their eight total hits, as they added a run in each of the second, third, and fourth innings. Padgham gave up all seven runs over her six innings, but only three were earned runs, striking out six and walking only one, throwing a tidy 83 pitches in her national team debut. In the sixth inning, she retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts. Reliever Tess Sawkins (Victoria, BC) gave up a single and a walk but worked her way out of a jam inducing a flyout and a groundout.
Canada's bats were quiet, as Pichardo, Marti Sementelli, and Niki Eckert allowed four hits and no runs for the rest of the game, with Sena Caterall (Pierrefonds, QC), Madison Willan (Edmonton, AB) and Ella Matteucci (Fruitvale, BC), able to add hits to Jesperson's.
The series continues on Saturday.
Game Schedule:
Streaming for all Friendship Series games will be available via Baseball Canada’s YouTube page.
Friendship Series event information including ticket sales will be available on the TBIBA Facebook page.
Stay up to date with Baseball Canada’s and USA Baseball’s Women’s National Team programs by following @BaseballCANWNT and @USABaseballWNT on Twitter.
