Team Canada has secured its spot in the Women’s Baseball World Cup bronze medal game, and they did so in absolutely spectacular fashion.
The moment came in the fifth inning of Wednesday night’s game between Canada and Venezuela at Port Arthur stadium.
It was the bottom of the fifth inning. Canada was leading 6-0, with loaded bases.
Catcher Lucie Anctil stepped to the plate. She swung, connected, and drove the ball over the right field wall.
A grand slam is impressive enough, but this was more than that — it was a walk-off grand slam, as the four runs scored increases Canada’s lead to 10-0. That triggered the tournament’s mercy rule, won Canada the game, and clinched the team’s spot in Saturday’s bronze medal match.
“I’m feeling really, really, really good,” Anctil said after the win. “I was confident I could do a hit, but a home run? Honestly I didn’t think that it would happen here.”
“I was running for my life, and just hoping that she didn’t make the catch.”
The win improved Canada’s record at this week’s world cup to 2-2, and came off two losses in a row: first to Japan on Monday, and then the United States on Tuesday.
“[Wednesday], the focus was to stay light,” Team Canada manager Anthony Pluta said. “We didn’t do a traditional stretch. We went out, we played a a game of tag, having us run around just laughing, having a good time.”
“Just try and keep it light after after that game against the US, and maybe that was it. Maybe something woke them up, who knows, but but it was a great game.”
“I’d much rather play for a different medal, but we’re playing for a medal, and that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Meanwhile, Japan and the United States have both punched their tickets to Saturday’s world championship game thanks to victories earlier Wednesday.
Both teams kept their undefeated streaks going, with defending champions Japan defeating Mexico 10-0, and the USA beating Chinese Taipei 9-0.
“I think it’s us playing our game, not adjusting to anybody else, and making them adjust to us,” Team USA manager Veronica Alvarez said of her team’s success this week. “We’ve played the game as a team, and no one person has shined individually or been the person that we’ve had to lean on.”
“That’s a testament to our players and the way they’ve come together as a team,” she said. “They celebrate each other. They don’t only celebrate their own wins, you know, so it’s really good that to see that happen. I love to see them congratulate each other, and be on each other’s side.”
Fans can get a preview of the game on Thursday as Japan and the United States are set to meet at 11 a.m., on the final day of round-robin play.
“We will not let up in that game,” Alvarez said. “We’re playing that game true. Just kind of hopefully getting them a little taste of what’s coming to them on Saturday.”
Two other games will be played Thursday.
Mexico will face Venezuela in the afternoon — the winner of that will also earn a spot in Saturday’s bronze medal game — while Canada plays Chinese Taipei in the evening.
There are no games currently scheduled for Friday, as it was set aside as a rain day, but there haven’t been any rainouts so far this week.
The final games will be played Saturday at Port Arthur Stadium: the bronze medal game will take place at 11 a.m., and the world championship final between the United States and Japan at 3 p.m.
