Canada heads into softball bronze-medal game on high note after mercy-rule win | CBC Sports

Canada, already assured of playing for bronze, rested pitchers Sara Groenewegen and Jenna Caira, who had each appeared in every game prior to Monday. Outfielder Victoria Hayward was moved to designated player for the game.

The blowout victory at Yokohama Baseball Stadium assured the entire 15-player roster got an extra inning of rest, too. The sport’s rules state that if any team leads by seven at the conclusion of an inning, the game is over — that’s what the Canadians managed after six against Italy.

With the win, the Canadians completed the five-game round robin at 3-2, with both losses coming by 1-0 scores against the U.S. and Japan.

Pitching has thus far been the strength for Canada, having allowed just four runs total, and never more than one in a game.

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Against Italy, Danielle Lawrie got the starting nod and allowed four hits and one unearned run over three innings, while striking out three. Lauren Regula contributed three scoreless innings in relief.

Right fielder Jen Gilbert gave Canada the early lead with a solo home run in the second inning, her first hit of these Games.

Canada added another run in the third when a Larissa Franklin double — her first extra-base hit at Tokyo 2020 — scored Hayward from first base in the third.

Italy eventually unravelled in the fifth inning as Canada scored three runs, all unearned.

Franklin drove in her second run of the game with a sacrifice fly and first baseman Jenn Salling contributed an RBI single before scoring from first on a throwing error charged to Italian pitcher Alexia Lacatena.

By the time Hayward knocked in a pair with a single in the seventh inning, the rout was on. She later scored on another Franklin sacrifice to set the stage for the mercy rule to come into effect.

Still, Italy was briefly able to find some joy despite finishing Tokyo 2020 without a win. The Italians scored their first run of the tournament in the bottom of the third when a pair of Canadian fielding blunders put runners at the corners with one out.

After a strikeout, captain Erika Piancastelli slapped an RBI single to centre that was met with rowdy cheers and applause from the Italian bench.

Softball and baseball have been scratched for Paris in 2024, but there’s a good chance both will return four years later in Los Angeles.

WATCH | Groenewegen’s inspirational journey to Tokyo:

Watch CBC Sports’ The Olympians feature, on Sara Groenewegen. 2:11