THUNDER BAY – The lineups are set for this weekend’s Friendship Series at Baseball Central.
Officials from Team Canada and the United States have announced rosters for the five-game series, which starts on Thursday and wraps up Monday, bringing the top female baseball players from both countries to Thunder Bay.
Canada’s 20-player roster was chosen by manager Ashley Stephenson and her coaching staff, and features a mix of veteran players with plenty of international baseball experience and several newcomers looking to get their feet wet against the Americans.
“I’m really excited with the group we have and look forward to competing against the U.S. on home soil in Thunder Bay,” Stephenson said in a release.
“Given our (Women’s National Team) program has largely been inactive for three years this series is crucial to evaluate our team in its present state and what we’d like to build towards in the future.
The U.S. on Sunday announced its 20-woman roster, a lineup that includes the likes of Malaika Underwood, who will be suiting up for her country for the 11th time and who owns the record for most games played on an American national team.
Tenth-time team member Anna Kimbrell and nine-timer Marti Sementelli are also on the roster.
At the other end of the spectrum, eight U.S. players made their national team debut in 2022, including Jillian Albayati.
The Americans are managed by Veronica Alvarez.
United States roster:
- Jillian Albayati; RHP/INF; Anaheim, Calif.
- Jamie Baum; RHP/UTIL; Los Altos, Calif.
- Denae Benites; INF/RHP; Las Vegas, Nev.
- Elise Berger; RHP/INF; Shelburne, Vt.
- Kate Blunt; RHP/INF; Ladera Ranch, Calif.
- Janelle Calvet; UTIL/RHP; Deerfield Beach, Fla.
- Niki Eckert; LHP/OF; Englewood, N.J.
- Jade Gortarez; INF/RHP; Riverside, Calif.
- Alex Hugo; INF/OF; Olathe, Kan.
- Alexia Jorge; C/INF; Lyndhurst, N.J.
- Anna Kimbrell; C; Fort Mill, S.C.
- Kylee Lahners; INF; Laguna Hills, Calif.
- Ashton Lansdell; INF/RHP; Marietta, Ga.
- Alana Martinez; INF/OF; Cooper City, Fla.
- Meggie Meidlinger; RHP/INF; Sterling, Va.
- Olivia Pichardo; RHP/OF; Forest Hills, N.Y.
- Remi Schaber; INF/RHP; Cordova, Tenn.
- Marti Sementelli; RHP; West Newton, Mass.
- Malaika Underwood; IF; San Diego, Calif.
- Kelsie Whitmore; OF/RHP; Temecula, Calif.
Team Canada roster:
- Emma Carr - Toronto, Ont.
- Sena Catterall - Pierrefonds, Que.
- Claire Eccles – White Rock, B.C.
- *Mena Florio – Woodbridge, Ont.
- Alexane Fournier - Saint Jean sur Richelieu, Que.
- Stacy Fournier - Surrey, B.C.
- Sophy Gagné – Ste Martine, Que.
- Daphnée Gélinas – Repentigny, Que.
- *Alizée Gélinas - Trois-Rivières, Que.
- *Zoe Hicks - Boissevain, Man.
- Ellie Jespersen – Spruce Grove, Alta.
- *Amy Johnson – Saskatoon, Sask.
- *Julia Konigshofer, Waverley, N.S.
- Ella Matteucci – Fruitvale, B.C.
- *Raine Pagdham – Abbotsford, B.C.
- *Tess Sawkins – Victoria, B.C.
- Allison Schroder - Fruitvale, B.C.
- Mia Valcke – St. Marys, Ont.
- *Reese Velocci – Toronto, Ont.
- Madison Willan – Edmonton, Alta.
Schedule
- Thursday, July 28 USA @ Canada, 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Friday, July 29 Canada @ USA, 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Saturday, July 30 USA @ Canada, 1 p.m. EDT
- Sunday, July 31 Canada @ USA, 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Monday, August 1 USA @ Canada, 1 p.m. EDT
