The Women’s National Team secured the win against Canada in the final contest of exhibition play, 5-4, Friday evening at Baseball Central in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Team USA kicks off the World Cup Finals Sunday morning against Venezuela.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Team USA needed no time to settle in, as patient at-bats by Alex Hugo and Jillian Albayati set the stage for Kelsie Whitmore, who found the left-center gap for a two-RBI double.
- Olivia Pichardo followed Whitmore, putting the ball in play to tally an RBI and a run for the stars and stripes. Valerie Perez capped the scoring off with an RBI base knock, putting Team USA up 4-0 after one frame.
- Starter Jamie Baum held Canada scoreless during her tenure, tossing three shutout frames and allowing no hits.
- Naomi Ryan took over on the bump from there, also slinging three clean innings while allowing no hits and striking out four.
- Free passes were the story of the seventh, as Canada notched its first hit and proceeded to score four runs before Kate Blunt quieted the clamor and secured the win for Team USA.
NOTABLE STATS
- Baum and Ryan posted nearly identical stat lines, both throwing three shutout innings of no-hit ball. Baum struck out three batters while Ryan punched out four in three innings of work.
- Leadoff batter Ashton Lansdell went 1-for-3 with two stolen bags and two runs scored for Team USA.
- Center fielder Whitmore added two RBIs, a run scored and an extra–base hit to her stat sheet.
- Albayati and Perez each went 1-for-3 and drove in a run apiece.
