Team USA Holds Canada to 5-4 in Final Preparation

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Team USA didn’t need time to settle in, as patient turns from Alex Hugo And Jillian Albayati setting the stage for Kelsie Whitmore, who found the opening in left-center for a two-RBI double.
• Olivia Pichardo followed Whitmore and put the ball in play, resulting in an RBI and a run for the Stars and Stripes. Valerie Perez closed the scoring with an RBI single to give Team USA a 4-0 lead after one inning.
• Beginner Jamie Baum held Canada to zero points during her tenure, throwing three clean sheets and allowing no hits.
• Naomi Ryan took over from there and also threw three clean innings, allowing no hits and striking out four.
• Free passes were the story of the seventh, when Canada scored its first hit and then scored four runs before Kate Blunt quieted the cheers and secured the victory for Team USA.

NOTABLE STATISTICS

• Baum and Ryan had nearly identical statlines, both pitching three shutout innings without a hit. Baum struck out three batters, while Ryan struck out four in three innings of work.
• First Batsman Ashton Lansdell went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs scored for Team USA.
• Center fielder Whitmore added two RBIs, a run scored and an extra-base hit to her stats.
• Albayati and Perez both went 1-for-3 with a run each.