July 22, 2013

Feature: Team USA

Showdown in Women’s International

Player Profile

page 2

see schedule on page 3

Nana Okamura page 4

Semifinal, final

® CANADA

JAPAN

USA

AUSTRALIA

VENEZUELA

CanadianOpenFastpitch.com

Canadian Open concludes today

International playoff!

Hooch Fagaly of the California A’s has the ball, leaving Natalie Wideman of Team Canada out at first place. Canada won the Women’s International playoff game 1-0 Sunday morning at Softball City. (Jim Kinnear/Black Press photo)

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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Monday July 22, 2013

2013

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.

Snapshots of the game

▼ STAY CONNECTED…

Connect with Canadian Open Fastpitch

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.

After a string of second place finishes in international competition, the United States will be seeking a championship at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. (Evan Seal/Surrey Leader photo)

USA seeks a win at 2013 Canadian Open Ranked number two in the world softball standings, Team USA will be fighting hard for a win at this year’s Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship.

This year, the team boasts a strong roster that includes Valerie Arioto, the 2012 USA Softball Female Player of the Year. In 2012 she led Team USA with 11 home runs, 37 RBI and 27 runs.

Returning player Lauren Gibson led Team USA in batting average (.500) in 2012.

TEAM USA

Team highlights and memories from last year’s event included picking up four shutouts in eight games to make it into the finals, along with a pair of two-homer games from Arioto. Japan defeated Team USA 9-6 in the 2012 Canadian Open final.

Since last year’s Canadian Open, Team USA traveled to Whitehorse for the ISF World Championships, where they placed second. They also placed second at the World Cup of Softball earlier this month in Oklahoma, losing 7-4 to Japan in the final.

Tweet photos to @CdnOpen Share images on Flickr

Monday July 22, 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:

MONDAY, July 22

PARKS: SBC - Softball City, CAP - Cloverdale Athletic Park, SP - Sunnyside Park.

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

After 320 games over 11 days at three parks, the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship concludes today at Softball City. There were 82 teams in five levels of competition. (Boaz Joseph/ Surrey Leader photo)

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CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Monday July 22, 2013

▲ DAILY GAME HIGHLIGHTS

®

All-star recognition for Canadian trio Three players from Team Canada received awards for being on the Women’s International all-star team following the round robin portion of the tournament.

Outfielders Victoria Hayward and Caitlin Lever and shortstop Joey Lye were the Canadians among the 10 players honoured.

Hayward batted .500 with four runs scored and six runs batted in (RBIs), while Lever hit .474 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Lye had a .375 average.

Lyndsey Doyle of the U.S.A. was the third outfielder to receive an all-star nod, after hitting .438 with three runs scored and three RBIs. The infield was comprised of Amanda Chidester (.500 average with one home run and five RBIs) of the U.S.A. at first base, Yuruby Alicart (.462 average with one home run) of Venezuela at second base and Raven Chavanne (.571 average with eight runs scored and an RBI) of the U.S.A. at third base.

Mandy Ogle of the California A’s received the all-star award at catcher, hitting .444 with three RBIs. The lone Australian to be recognized was Georgia Casey, named as a utility player after hitting .429 and driving home five runs.

The top pitcher was Cheridan Hawkins of the U.S.A., who had a 1.50 earned run average with 15 strikeouts.

Japan, U.S.A. are unbeaten in playoffs Two teams at the opposite end of the round robin standings are among the three that will play on the final day of the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Softball City.

The United States remained the only team with a perfect record after they won their first playoff game Saturday night, defeating Team Canada 7-4. Canada led 1-0 after one inning on a home run from North Delta’s Jenn Yee, but the Americans rallied with three in the fourth.

Canada responded with three of their own in the top of the fifth inning as Victoria Hayward doubled to score Natalie Wideman and Erika Polidori, then came home on a single by Yee. Michelle Moultrie tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, then the Americans scored three times in the sixth on three hits and a walk for the win.

Japan, the last place team in the round robin with one win in five games, swept the California A’s and Australia by identical scores of 7-0 to ensure a top three playoff finish. Yukiko Ueno threw a no-hitter in each game, needing five innings to beat the A’s and just six to stop Australia.

Kendra Ho of the Delta Heat ’97 releases a pitch against the White Rock Renegades ’98 during Sunday’s Showcase Gold playoff game. (Jim Kinnear/Black Press photo)

Player profile:

Fast facts:

At 15 years old, Nana Okamura (#13) was the youngest player ever to have been named to the Japan Women’s National Team.

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.

She already has an impressive resume under her belt, and she’s only just begun.

Did you know....? For fastpitch and slowpitch, games are seven innings long.

At the start of her career, Team Japan’s new pitcher has won a gold medal in the ISF World Cup (16U), a silver medal in the 2010 ISF Women’s World Championship, and a silver medal in the 2011 ISF Junior Women’s World Championship.

At the recent World Cup of softball in Oklahoma, Okamura pitched in two games and finished with a 3.23 ERA.

Did you know....? There are nine total positions on a softball field.

Did you know....? The original softball was a rolled up boxing glove.

Did you know....? Softball was originally intended to be an indoor sport. This is why there is a shorter distance between bases in softball compared to baseball.