Feature: Rebelles
Women’s Elite
Player Profile:
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see schedule on page 3
Alecia Stevenson page 4
Fury vs. Force
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Showdown: Team BC vs Quebec July 14 CanadianOpenFastpitch.com
Showcase, Futures Selects tournaments are underway
Safe slide back to first!
Angela Noguer of the Richmond Islanders ’97 beats PoCo Raven infielder Aman Atwal back to first base during a Showcase Selects game at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship Saturday at Softball City. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)
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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Sunday July 14, 2013
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Visit www.CanadianOpenFastpitch. com for event information, maps, tickets, scores and more. Visit BCLocalNews.com for feature coverage of the tournament by Black Press publications, including Peace Arch News and Surrey Leader.
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Follow @CdnOpen on Twitter to stay up-to-the-minute with the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. Use the hashtag #COFP13 to let people know you’re tweeting about the tournament and to see what others are saying. Also, follow @BlackPressDigital to stay informed.
Snapshots of the game: Sat. July 13
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WATCH GAMES ONLINE, JULY 16-22
The Women’s International Championship games from the Championship Diamond will be broadcast LIVE online with our pay-per-view service! Visit www. CanadianOpenFastpitch.com to view live games through the dedicated feed directly from Softball City. Proudly supported by the video team from Briere Production Group and the website streaming services of NeuLion.
FOLLOW ALONG
A ball hops over the shoulder of Rochelle Flanagan of the Quebec Rebelles, one of four teams in the Women’s Elite division of the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)
Rebelles preparing for Canada Games
Pointstreak Sports Technologies is the official scorekeeping software for the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. Users will be able to access scores live in real-time at www.CanadianOpenFastpitch.com.
QUEBEC REBELLES
WATCH VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Although the team has not participated in the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship as a squad before, many of the athletes have played at this tournament and the former Canada Cup.
Visit the Canadian Open Fastpitch official YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/user/ CdnOpenFastpitch for softball-related videos and tournament action.
The Quebec Rebelles are a strong team of contenders who will be vying for the Women’s Elite Championship title this year.
athletes who won bronze at the last Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island.
QUEBEC REBELLES
Filling out their impressive team lineup are two athletes who have played for the junior national team; three who competed and won bronze at the 2009 Canada Cup in the Showcase division; and four
Led by Coach Claude Vinet, who has been with the team since day one, these players comprise the official Quebec team for the 2013 Canada Summer Games. They earned a silver medal last year at the 2012 Senior Canadian Championship and are no doubt a force to be reckoned with at this year’s competition.
The Quebec Rebelles will be fighting hard for a win this year over the other Elite Teams – Team BC, Northwest Lady Sharks and White Rock Renegades – in advance of the 2013 Canada Summer Games, which begin August 2 in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Tweet photos to @CdnOpen
Sunday July 14, 2013 • CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET
Friday, July 12th ■ It’s Opening Day of the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Softball City. Saturday, July 13th ■ Women’s Elite Championship division play begins at Softball City. ■ It’s Opening Day of the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Cloverdale Athletic Park and Sunnyside Park. Monday, July 15th ■ The Showcase Select Championship Game on Diamond 2 begins at 3:30 pm, followed by the Showcase Select Awards Presentation. ■ Watch the Futures Select Championship Game on Diamond 2 at 6:30 pm, followed by the Futures Select Awards Presentation. Tuesday, July 16th ■ Team Canada takes on China-Nanjing for their first game in the Women’s International Division on Diamond 1 at 6:30 pm. ■ It’s Boy’s Night Out at the ballpark! Catch some local boys softball games at Diamond 2 at Softball City, 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Wednesday, July 17th ■ Join the Celebration of Softball! The Parade of Athletes begins at 5:30 pm on Diamond 1 at Softball City. ■ Team Canada vs. Team Australia at 7 pm at Softball City. Thursday, July 18th ■ Visit Team Canada for their autograph signing, taking place after their 6:30 pm game vs. Team Japan at Softball City. Friday, July 19th ■ The Women’s Elite All Star Awards take place at 5:30 pm on Diamond 1. ■ Team Canada vs. Team USA, 6:30 pm at Softball City. Saturday, July 20th Don’t miss the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch Women’s International All Star Awards on Diamond 1 at 6 pm.
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Sunday, July 21st • ■ The Showcase Gold Championship Game will be held on Diamond 2 at 1:30 pm, followed by the Showcase Gold Awards Presentation. ■ The Futures Gold Championship Game is on Diamond 2 at 4 pm followed by Futures Gold Awards. ■ The Women’s Elite Championship Game is set for Diamond 1 at 4 pm, followed by the Women’s Elite Awards Presentation.
▼ KEY DATES AND EVENTS
games to watch:
Today’s Schedule: SUNDAY, July 14 PARKS: SBC - Softball City, CAP - Cloverdale Athletic Park, SP - Sunnyside.
Monday, July 22nd ■ The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch Women’s International Championship Game happens on Diamond 1 at 7:30 pm followed by the Women’s International Awards Presentation.
Are you wondering what’s happening on the field when you’re somewhere else? View scores, statistics, and the live-updated Game Live system from Pointstreak scoring technologies online at www.CanadianOpenFastpitch.com
Players from the Richmond Islanders ’97 take a break after their first game of the Showcase Select tournament at Softball City. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)
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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Sunday July 14, 2013
▲ DAILY GAME HIGHLIGHTS
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California A’s sweep exhibition contests The California A’s prepared for their first game in the Women’s International tournament by sweeping the Quebec Rebelles in a pair of exhibition games Friday at Softball City. Sara Driesenga threw a no-hitter that included five strikeouts in a 5-0 win in the first contest. Hooch Fagaly was the top batter, going fourfor-four with three triples and a single. Carissa Turang with a triple and a run scored and Danielle Henderson with a solo home run also contributed to the California offence. In the second game, Fagaly hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to break a 4-4 tie, lifting the A’s to a 5-4 victory. The A’s play their first tournament game Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. against Canada.
Storm ’97 off to a perfect start
Perfect defence and plenty of offence has the Surrey Storm ‘97 atop their group after a pair of victories in the Showcase Select tournament. The Storm ‘97 blanked the Southeast Wolfpack of Saskatchewan 10-0 Friday night. They returned to Softball City Saturday morning to shut out the Vancouver Lakers 7-0 in five innings. Isla Wrightson of the Storm had two hits and two RBIs in Saturday’s win, with Maria Craigen adding a double and a single. Brianna Yelle also had a pair of RBIs. The Showcase Select playoff round will begin today (Sunday) with games at Cloverdale Athletic Park and Softball City.
Rebelles rally to edge Sharks in Elite play
The first victory of the Women’s Elite competition went to the Quebec Rebelles, 3-2 winners over the Northwest Lady Sharks Saturday afternoon at Softball City. Quebec trailed 2-0 after five innings, but scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to force extra innings, then got the winning run in the eighth. Corinne Brookhuis scored a pair of runs for the Rebelles, while Sharks pitcher Allison Rhodes took the loss after allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out eight Rebelles batters. The Rebelles face Team BC today at 1 p.m., while the other two teams in the Elite group – the Sharks and White Rock Renegades – play at 3:30 p.m.
CATCHING HEAT...
A pitched ball raises a cloud of dust off the glove of Northwest Lady Sharks catcher Makenna Weir. (Boaz Joseph/ Surrey Leader photo)
Player profile: Alecia Stephenson (coach) – Vancouver Lakers: While this is Alecia Stephenson’s first time coaching a team at the Canadian Open Fastpitch, she’s no stranger to the tournament. A former Olympic softball player, she competed at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta where she played shortstop. That same year she also played for Team Canada at the Canada Cup (now the Canadian Open Fastpitch) where they took home gold. Now she’s returned as the head coach for the Vancouver Lakers – her passion for the sport is contagious and she’s an inspiration to all her players.
Fast facts: Did you know....? There are upwards of 80 teams participating at the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship this year! Did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship is the largest fastpitch sporting tournament in Canada? Did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship has 80-100 umpires from around the world. Did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship has 5,000 hotel room stays directly relating to the championship.