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California A’s upend Japan!Club team defeats defending champions

Mana Atsumi of Japan slides into second base while California A’s shortstop Nicole Matson waits for a throw. California defeated Japan 8-1. (Evan Seal/Surrey Leader photo)

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Feature:Team Japanpage 2

Women’s InternationalPlayoff round beginssee schedule on page 3

Player Pro� leAmanda Chidester page 4

Showdown: Women’s Elite

semi� nal July 20

Currently ranked number one in the world, reign-ing Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch champions Team Japan are back and ready to defend their title at Softball City against some of the top teams in the world.

Team Japan has won this tournament two years in a row, last year having beat out world number two, Team USA, in a dramatic eight-inning game. Immediately follow-ing last year’s Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship, Team Japan went on to defeat Team USA to win the 2012 ISF Women’s World Championship in Whitehorse.

This year’s team will showcase many young softball stars that are new to the National Team, as well as returning players. Key players to watch this year include Nana Okamura , Kana Nakano, Miki Kozono,

Chiharu Aoki, Haruka Agatsuma and Yukiko Ueno.

At age 15, Okamura is the youngest player ever to have been selected to the Japan Women’s National Team. Along with star pitcher Ueno, she is

selected as an Athlete Ambassador for the World Baseball Softball Confed-

eration 2020 Olympic Bid. Ueno is one of the most decorated athletes in Japan’s softball

history, having received honours both profession-ally and internationally. She became the first pitcher ever to produce a perfect game at the Olympics, against China in Athens, and she also helped her team to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Fact: Team Japan always enters the field with a bow, starts playing with a bow and ends with a bow.

Japan will defend Canadian Open title

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The current world champions, Japan is also the defending champion of the Scotia Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. (Evan Seal/Surrey Leader photo)

WORLD CHAMPIONS

Connect withCanadian OpenFastpitch

2013Visit www.CanadianOpenFastpitch.com for event information, maps, tickets, scores and more. Visit BC-LocalNews.com for feature coverage of the tournament by Black Press publications, including Peace Arch News and Surrey Leader.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTERFollow @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.

CONNECT WITH USON FACEBOOKLike 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, � nd 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 USON INSTAGRAM!Don’t forget to share your cool and creative photos from the ballpark with Instagram by following @cdno-pen_fastpitch.

WATCH GAMES ONLINE, JULY 16-22The 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 ALONGPointstreak Sports Technologies is the of� cial 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 YOUTUBEVisit the Canadian Open Fastpitch of� cial YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/user/CdnOpenFastpitch for softball-related videos and tournament action.

2 CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Saturday July 20, 2013

Snapshots ofthe game:Fri. July 19

Tweet photos to @CdnOpen

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Today’s Schedule:

Tia Tsang (6) of the Richmond Islanders ’98 just misses a tag on an Abbotsford Outlaws ’97 baserunner during a Futures Gold game at Softball City. (Evan Seal/Surrey Leader photo)

Saturday July 20, 2013 • CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET 3

games to watch: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.

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.

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

SATURDAY, July 20 PARKS: SBC - Softball City, CAP - Cloverdale Athletic Park, SP - Sunnyside Park.

AmAndA Chidester

Chidester carried a big bat for the Michi-gan Wolverines, and the infielder from Al-len Park, Michigan hopes to do the same with the United States national team.

In four seasons at the University of Michigan, Chidester was a two-time Big Ten Player of the year and finished her career ranked second in RBIs and grand slams, fourth in slugging percentage, and fifth in home runs.

Chidester was named to the national team in June of last season, and was part of the U.S.A. team which won the 2012 World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma.

At last week’s 2013 World Cup, also in Oklahoma, Chidester was one of four Americans to play in all five games, and hit .333 with a double, a home run and two RBIs.

did you know....? A runner will not be out if she leaves the base after a pitch! A player can leave her base as soon as the ball leaves the pitchers hand.did you know....? There are upwards of 80 teams participating at the Scotiabank Canadi-an Open Fastpitch International Championship this year!

did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship is the largest fastpitch sporting tournament in Canada?

did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship has 80-100 umpires from around the world.

did you know....? The Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship has 5,000 hotel room stays directly relating to the championship.

Brielle McCullough of the Saskatoon Scotiabank Selects heads to first base during a Futures Gold game at the 2013 Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship at Cloverdale Athletic Park. The Futures Gold division continues its playoff round today, with the final set for 4 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. (Boaz Joseph/Surrey Leader photo)

Player profile: Fast facts:

Japan crushed by California A’s

The California A’s got their second win in as many days Thursday afternoon, and it was a big one – a convincing 8-1 victory over the reigning world-cham-pions from Japan.The California pitching duo of Kim Bruins – who

started the game – and Paige Parker held the high-powered Japanese squad to just two hits in the six-inning contest.Japan’s only run came in the top of the second inning when Yukiyo Mine walked, advanced to second base on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single by Rie Nagayoshi.The A’s replied in the bottom half of the inning with three runs – thanks largely to three walks and one batter who was hit by a pitch – and added two more runs in the third inning off a Danielle Henderson two-run home run.California tagged one run in the fourth and two in the sixth before the game was over.Catcher Mandy Ogle had three RBIs for the vic-torious Californians, while Lyndsay Doyle went three-for-three at the plate.

Team Canada handed its first loss

Team Canada was handed its first loss of the Canadian Open Fastpitch Internation-al Championship Thursday night, while Japan picked up its first win, as Canada lost 8-3 to the the two-time defending women’s international division

champions.Canada jumped to an early lead against Japan – who were playing their second game of the day – in the second inning, when, with the bases loaded, Vicky Rumph walked, Erika Polidori and Joey Lye each singled, and Victoria Heyward smashed a triple to right-centre field to give the host country a 3-0 lead. The lead lasted only an inning, however. In the bottom of the third, Yuka Ichiguchi led off for Japan with a single, and scored one batter later when outfielder Misato Kawano, who doubled and later crossed the plate herself on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Japan’s Yukiya Mine hit a two-RBI double and later scored to take a 5-3 lead. Japan added another run in the fifth – Kawano hit a triple and scored on a wild pitch – and two more in the sixth inning to secure the win. Through the first three days of the women’s international tournament, Canada sits tied for second place with the California A’s, though the A’s (2-2) have played one more game than the Canadian squad, who sport a 2-1 win-loss mark.

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4 CANADIAN OPEN FASTPITCH HOTSHEET • Saturday July 20, 2013