Walk-off grand slam secures Canada's spot in Baseball World Cup bronze medal game
CBC
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."
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