Latin America nips Canada, 6-5
By Ryan Saxton
Staff Reporter

Latin America's Gretchen Ortiz beats the throw home to Canada's Samantha Newton. Photo by RUSLANA LAMBERT

Pitcher Annette Cruz started things right for the Puerto Rican team, keeping the first three innings limited to three batters, each. Latin America’s offense proved predominantly well, too, scoring two runs in each of the first three innings. Catcher Carmen Garcia, shortstop Ana Sabat and Nicole Marquez each contributed an RBI, while lefty first baseman Aida Cruz brought in two runs with shots to left field to take the lead 6-0 in the third.

After a slow start offensively, Canada Windsor East LL answered back in the fifth to turn the remaining innings into a ballgame. With bases loaded and two outs, Sabrina Phillips rocketed a pitch all the way to the center field fence. Ashlie Thibeault, Mollie Charron and Andjela Andrich rounded the bases to bring the score within three. Phillips eyed an opportunity to make it an in-the-park home run with a miss-thrown ball, but was tagged at home for the final out of the inning. With the wind back in their sails, the Canadian team limited Asofem to no runs in the fifth, and went back to work in the sixth. A triple from first basemen Amanda Shaule scored another run, then she was brought home with a single from right fielder Rita Shamo. Alas, Puerto Rico closed out the inning, and kept the one-run lead through the seventh, sealing their first victory in the tournament.

Despite being the third loss in the tournament — first, 13-0 to Central on Day One, and 11-0 to East on Day Two — head coach and manager Richard Phillips was impressed with the girls’ improvement.

“The truth of the matter is we have a team that is very inexperienced for the most part, and the first two games were very tough,” he said, “but now, they’re settling down and playing like they can. They’re really starting to get over their jitters and playing to their potential.”

“Today made up for the first two days,” said Andrich. “We came together as a team.”

Even though the play was nerve-racking at times, Latin America’s manager Victor Colon was able to keep his players collected. “I told the girls that they weren’t out of it with the loss [to Laurel on Monday]. The score was still [close, which was important].”

Almost giving up the lead after a 6-0 margin kept him and his team concentrated. “I reminded the girls that we still had the lead and we had to do our best to prevent the other team from scoring,” he said. “I kept encouraging them to stay focused and keep a positive attitude.”

The muggy weather was an unfavorable factor on both sides through the hazy afternoon. “It was hard out there,” said pitcher Samantha Newton, who tallied four strikeouts in the game. Shamo relieved Newton for two innings, contributing an additional three strikeouts for Canada. Winning pitcher Cruz threw three strikeouts with another three coming from shortstop and relief Sabat.

The Latin American team found themselves playing harder, too. “It was very hot today,” he said. “The weather is similar in Puerto Rico, though not as hot, but the girls did get a little more tired than usual.”

“The heat effects everybody,” said Phillips. “We have hot weather sometimes, too, but nothing as humid as this. It was a challenge.”