July 17, 2013

Showdown in Women’s Championship Feature: Celebration Canada vs. Australia page 2

see schedule on page 3

Player Profile Kaila Butler page 4

® CANADA

JAPAN

USA

AUSTRALIA

VENEZUELA

Showdown: White Rock vs Team BC July 17 CanadianOpenFastpitch.com

Games continue at Softball City, Cloverdale and Sunnyside

Sliding to score!

As Oregon Panthers’ catcher Kiana Villarreal chases the ball, Maria Palmegiani (left) of the Delta Heat ’98 slides safely home during a Showcase Gold game at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Cloverdale Athletic Park n Tuesday. Oregon won 9-7. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)

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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Wednesday July 17, 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.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

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.

▼ STAY CONNECTED…

Connect with Canadian Open Fastpitch

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Snapshots of the game: Tue. July 16

CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ CanadianOpenFastpitch, where the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship will be posting daily news, player features, scores, games and more.

Also, find local coverage and all the stories, photos and info you need to stay current with the event by liking Black Press Facebook pages, including the Peace Arch News and Surrey Leader.

CONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM!

Don’t forget to share your cool and creative photos from the ballpark with Instagram by following @cdnopen_fastpitch.

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

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.

WATCH VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

Visit the Canadian Open Fastpitch official YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/user/ CdnOpenFastpitch for softball-related videos and tournament action.

SOFTBALL SPIRIT..

Players from all teams, from Showcase Select to Women’s International, will share the field for a Celebration of Softball today at 5:30 p.m. (Surrey Leader photo)

Show your spirit and celebrate softball CELEBRATION OF SOFTBALL Celebration of Softball – It’s time to celebrate! Get out those team colours, show your softball spirit, and come celebrate the sport we all love at this year’s Celebration of Softball.

Women’s International, will have the opportunity to share the field for a pride-filled celebration, where they’ll showcase why we love this sport, and what makes this tournament so unique.

PARADE OF ATHLETES

Happening today, July 17, on the Championship Diamond, the Parade of Athletes is a colourful gathering of fans, families, coaches, teams and players of all ages from around Canada, North America and the world.

Teams from each division, from Showcase Select to

Join the celebration on Diamond 1 at Softball City at 5:30pm and be sure to stick around to watch the competition heat up as Team Canada takes to the field for their 7 p.m. game against Team Australia.

Don’t forget to share your photos of the festivities with us by following on Twitter (@cdnopen), Facebook and Instagram!

Tweet photos to @CdnOpen

Wednesday July 17, 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 C hampionship Game on Diamond 2 begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Showcase Select Awards Presentation.

■ Watch the Futures Select Championship Game on Diamond 2 at 6:30 p.m., 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 p.m.

■ It’s Boy’s Night Out at the ballpark! Catch some local boys softball games at Diamond 2 at Softball City, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 17th

■ Join the Celebration of Softball! The Parade of Athletes begins at 5:30 p.m. on Diamond 1 at Softball City.

■ Team Canada vs. Team Australia at 7 p.m. at Softball City.

Thursday, July 18th ■ Visit Team Canada for their autograph signing, taking place after their 6:30 p.m. game vs. Team Japan at Softball City.

Friday, July 19th ■ The Women’s Elite All Star Awards take place at 5:30 p.m. on Diamond 1.

■ Team Canada vs. Team USA, 6:30 p.m. 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 p.m.

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Sunday, July 21st • ■ The Showcase Gold Championship Game will be held on Diamond 2 at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Showcase Gold Awards Presentation.

■ The Futures Gold Championship Game is on Diamond 2 at 4 p.m., followed by Futures Gold Awards.

■ The Women’s Elite Championship Game is set for Diamond 1 at 4 p.m., followed by the Women’s Elite Awards Presentation.

▼ KEY DATES AND EVENTS

games to watch:

Today’s Schedule: WEDNESDAY, July 17

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 p.m. 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

Korrissa Aguilar of the California Lady Wolfpack fields a ball during a Futures Gold game at Cloverdale Athletic Park.

The Wolfpack will play twice today at Softball City at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)

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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Wednesday July 17, 2013

▲ DAILY GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Defence lifts Storm to Showcase title

A stingy defensive record helped the Surrey Storm ‘97 claim the championship in the Showcase Select tournament, part of the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship.

The Storm topped the Oregon Riptide 8-1 in Monday afternoon’s championship game, their seventh win in as many round robin and playoff contests. In those seven games, Surrey allowed just five runs while scoring 56.

All-American final in Futures Select American teams dominated the Futures Select division, with three teams from south of the border advancing to the semifinal round.

Oregon CP Fastpitch won the championship, topping the Spokane Diamonds 8-2 in the championship game.

Spokane was the top seed for the playoff round, allowing just five runs in six previous games.

The Langley Xtreme fell to the Spokane Diamonds 8-2 in one semifinal, while the Oregon CP Fastpitch topped the Edmonds (Washington) Starz 8-5 in the other.

Local talent cracks Canadian roster There’s plenty of local talent on the Canadian national team at the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship.

And while he won’t take much credit for the influx of Surrey and White Rock talent on the national stage, Canadian Open director Greg Timm is rightfully proud the annual tournament has helped spur young players on to greater things.

“It’s an awfully big point of pride for us – the fact that the players here have excelled. It’s one of the big reasons we run this tournament – so we can give the young girls the chance to see these players play,” he said.

“We’ve had nearly every Olympian in softball come through this park at some point in time. The younger players have had a chance to rub shoulders will (former U.S. stars) Lisa Fernandez and Jennie Finch, and (Japanese pitcher) Yukiko Ueno.”

Canada’s roster at this week’s tournament includes current White Rock Renegade Sara Groenewegen and alums Jocelyn Cater, Larissa Franklin and Sara Hopwood – the latter is currently with the Surrey Storm senior team – and Storm players Kelsey Haberl, Jenn Yee and Marina Demore.

As Ally Gallant of the Saskatchewan Scotiabank Selects struggles with the ball, South Surrey Thunder ’95’s Sayomie Elson is safe on third base during a Futures Gold game at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Cloverdale Athletic Park. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo).

Player profile: Kaila Butler – Delta Heat 98A Kaila Butler is a well-rounded athlete and honour roll student.

This is her second year playing Bantam A softball and she is a strong right-throwing and right-hitting power hitter.

She’s also an accomplished ringette player – she recently won gold with the U16 Team BC at the Western Canadian Ringette Championships.

Kaila had the honour of catching for Danielle Lawrie when the star pitcher ran a clinic for players in the Delta Heat organization this past winter.

Fast facts: Did you know....? A runner will not be out if she leaves the base after a pitch. A player can leave her base as soon as the ball leaves the pitchers hand.

Did you know....? In fastpitch, any time a bunted ball rolls past the foul line in to foul territory, it is called a strike. Whether you have 0, 1, or 2 strikes, a bunted foul is a strike!

Did you know....? Alumnimum bats are not the only type used in fastpitch. Graphite, carbon, composite, and other alloys are used as well. While not as commonly used, wooden bats are allowed, too!

Did you know....? The outdoor version of softball was created eight years after its invention but the sport got its current-day name only in the 1920’s.