THUNDER BAY – Mother Nature may have done Team Canada a favour on Tuesday night.
When the skies opened above Baseball Central, just after 8 p.m., the national women’s team was clinging to a 2-1 lead over Mexico, in the opening game for both sides at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Pool A qualifier.
When play resumed, a little more than two hours later, the Canadian offence erupted for six runs in what proved to be a decisive fourth inning, and went on to down their North American counterparts 9-1, the first of five games the teams will play in Thunder Bay this week.
The top two teams, plus Canada will advance to next year’s world championship.
Madison Willan had the big blow for Canada, after the team took three walks to open the bottom of the fourth, a slight rain still falling over the field.
The 22-year-old Edmonton native, who also plays hockey at the University of Alberta, drilled a double to deep right that cleared the bases, then scored on an error by Mexican reliever Narda Andrade, the second pitcher the team trotted out in the inning, Canada taking a 6-1 lead at that point.
“I always go up there and try to hit the ball hard. Mexico has really good pitching and you’re not always going to see fastballs. You’re going to see a lot of different speeds and you just go up there and try to hit the ball hard,” Willan said.
“Luckily that turned into hits today.”
Willan, who was 2-for-2 with a walk and left early after being hit on the hand by a pitch, knocked in her first of four runs in the game in the third, singling home CF Sena Catterall, who doubled of Mexico starter Rosa Maria Del Castillo.
“I think the biggest thing was maintaining our energy levels. When we had that break, we just kind of cooled down and let our brains kind of relax,” Willan said. “As soon as the tarps came off, we just got ready to go in those 20 minutes,” Willan said.
Canadian coach Anthony Pluta acknowledged it’s not easy sitting around that long, adding he was thankful it was there turn to come to the plate when play finally did resume just after 10 p.m.
“We stayed loose and I think that was the important thing. I don’t know if anybody could hear the girls singing from the dugout, but they tried to keep it loose and not worry too much and then come out and be aggressive.”
The Mexicans walked six batters in the fourth, coming out of the break, and nine on the night, allowing 10 hits while striking out just three.
Canada batted around and then some, 13 hitters coming to the plate.
Meanwhile the Canadian pitchers were all but unhittable, beginning with starter Raine Padgham, who picked up the win, allowing a single run on one hit through four innings, lifted after the delay.
Allison Schroder and Kaitlyn Ross picked up in relief, combining to throw three scoreless innings, Mexico managing just four hits on the night.
Padgham said she wanted to work quickly, keep the Mexicans on their toes and not think to much beyond Tuesday night.
“The first game of this tournament is always nerve-wracking for everyone, especially on the mound. All I was thinking about was working quick and making sure I didn’t give myself time to overthink,” she said.
Getting that first win was huge, she added.
“It’s definitely relieving. Having that first win will definitely give us the momentum for the next games ahead.”
Canada takes on Hong Kong on Wednesday night, while Mexico plays Australia, who lost 3-2 to the United States, at 3:30 p.m. The U.S. plays Korea, who lost 9-8 to Hong Kong, at 11 a.m.
