By Greg MacVicar

CANADA – Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and two Quebec squads will do battle at the 2008 Canadian Women’s Baseball Championship being held in Cape Breton from October 2-5. Games will take place at the Susan McEachern Memorial Ball Park in Sydney and the Gerry Marsh Field in New Waterford.

Team Nova Scotia is a bit of a misnomer, as the squad will field two New Brunswick players and one from Prince Edward Island.

Four Cape Bretoners will suit up for the Bluenose team, including Alyssa Shupe and Amanda Kelly of New Waterford, Gena Peori of Dominion and New Brunswick native Meghan Bremner, an RCMP officer based in St. Peter’s. A fifth Caper, Lauren Dedieu of Dominion, was supposed to play but she holds down two jobs and one of her employers wouldn’t give her the time off.

“These girls can play ball,” said Team Nova Scotia head coach Paul Prince of Dominion. “A lot of people think softball. No, it’s hardball. It’s good, exciting ball. You’re going to be shocked.”

Prince said this year’s national championship — the first played in Atlantic Canada — provides a great opportunity for local baseball fans to get a taste of top-notch female action by players 17-years-old and over.

“It showcases the girls,” he said. “It shows them that not just guys can play baseball.”

Round-robin play takes place Thursday through Saturday. Sunday, semifinal games will be played at both fields at 9 a.m. The consolation match will follow in New Waterford at 1 p.m. and the championship game in Sydney at 5 p.m.

Team Canada’s roster, picked based on this week’s play, will be announced following the championship match.

Source: Cape Breton Post

Tags: Canada