Just another day in paradise
Hey Everyone!
What a twenty-four hours it has been! We played South Africa last night and after a slow start, ended up mercy-ing them 7-0. Standing at 4-1 before this morning's game, our game against China would determine whether or not we would clinch second place in our pool, behind team USA.
Our game against China was at noon today and although it started slowly, it ended with a bang. Here's a full write up of the game courtesy of Softball Canada: http://www.softball.ca/main.asp?page_url=/display_news.asp?newsid=960. In short, we were getting runners on base constantly, but until the fourth inning, we were all tied up 1-1. With the bases loaded, I was up and hit a single through the middle, scoring two runs and putting us ahead 3-1. After holding the Chinese scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning, we had a huge nine run fifth inning. With one out in the fifth, our hitters strung a couple of hits together to load the bases. For the second time in the game, I was up with the bases juiced. After ball one, there was a pitching change...It's not too often you face multiple pitchers within an at bat, but after fouling off a pitch and bringing the count to 3-1 I hit a deep fly ball to right field...It kept going, and going, and going! My first career grand slam, or "batter's dream" as they call it here in South Africa :) - Shout out to Erika for letting me borrow her bat!!!
We ended up putting a few more runs on the board and holding the Chinese to a lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Another run rule win for Canada! With this win, we have clinched the second place spot in the pool - meaning double elimination in the playoff round...something that is really going to help us out when we are competing for a medal in the coming days.
After our game, we went back to the hotel, changed, and headed out to the "Green Market" to shop with our parents. Green Market is a small bazaar-like shopping area where local vendors sell just about everything. There were paintings, wood carved items, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, drums, traditional masks, keychains, and so much more. I would go into detail about everything I bought, but that would spoil a few peoples' Christmas gifts :)! After browsing the shops for thirty minutes, my Dad took me a couple blocks away from the market to a food court. This wasn't just any food court with McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell...this food court was beautiful. Judging by the people eating in the food court, it was definitely a local favorite. Old style doors, decades old, lined one side of the alley-way. Lining the right side of the alley were six or seven different stall-like restaurants, each with a different type of Indian or Middle-Eastern food. After ordering at a centralized cashier station, my Dad and I took our receipt to one of the Indian booths and watched them make our chicken marsala and garlic Naan bread...it was delicious, hands down the best meal I have had thus far in South Africa. It is amazing the diversity of the city. A mixture of Indian, Asian, Dutch, English, European and African makes for not only amazing food...but culture, music, and so much more.
This place continues to amaze me. Such great people and amazing things to see. Apparently tomorrow we are going to the top of Table Mountain....and I can't wait! Tomorrow is our last pool play game, against Czech Republic. Although it doesn't affect our standings in the pool, it sets the standard of how we are going to play for the rest of the tournament...I am already anxious and excited to get back onto the field tomorrow!
Here's a little shout out to my family and my best friend Kaitlin Inglesby for reading all my blogs and supporting me all the way from Seattle, it means so much to me!
Love you all, thanks for following!
GO CANADA!
Victoria
What a twenty-four hours it has been! We played South Africa last night and after a slow start, ended up mercy-ing them 7-0. Standing at 4-1 before this morning's game, our game against China would determine whether or not we would clinch second place in our pool, behind team USA.
Our game against China was at noon today and although it started slowly, it ended with a bang. Here's a full write up of the game courtesy of Softball Canada: http://www.softball.ca/main.asp?page_url=/display_news.asp?newsid=960. In short, we were getting runners on base constantly, but until the fourth inning, we were all tied up 1-1. With the bases loaded, I was up and hit a single through the middle, scoring two runs and putting us ahead 3-1. After holding the Chinese scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning, we had a huge nine run fifth inning. With one out in the fifth, our hitters strung a couple of hits together to load the bases. For the second time in the game, I was up with the bases juiced. After ball one, there was a pitching change...It's not too often you face multiple pitchers within an at bat, but after fouling off a pitch and bringing the count to 3-1 I hit a deep fly ball to right field...It kept going, and going, and going! My first career grand slam, or "batter's dream" as they call it here in South Africa :) - Shout out to Erika for letting me borrow her bat!!!
We ended up putting a few more runs on the board and holding the Chinese to a lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Another run rule win for Canada! With this win, we have clinched the second place spot in the pool - meaning double elimination in the playoff round...something that is really going to help us out when we are competing for a medal in the coming days.
After our game, we went back to the hotel, changed, and headed out to the "Green Market" to shop with our parents. Green Market is a small bazaar-like shopping area where local vendors sell just about everything. There were paintings, wood carved items, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, drums, traditional masks, keychains, and so much more. I would go into detail about everything I bought, but that would spoil a few peoples' Christmas gifts :)! After browsing the shops for thirty minutes, my Dad took me a couple blocks away from the market to a food court. This wasn't just any food court with McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell...this food court was beautiful. Judging by the people eating in the food court, it was definitely a local favorite. Old style doors, decades old, lined one side of the alley-way. Lining the right side of the alley were six or seven different stall-like restaurants, each with a different type of Indian or Middle-Eastern food. After ordering at a centralized cashier station, my Dad and I took our receipt to one of the Indian booths and watched them make our chicken marsala and garlic Naan bread...it was delicious, hands down the best meal I have had thus far in South Africa. It is amazing the diversity of the city. A mixture of Indian, Asian, Dutch, English, European and African makes for not only amazing food...but culture, music, and so much more.
This place continues to amaze me. Such great people and amazing things to see. Apparently tomorrow we are going to the top of Table Mountain....and I can't wait! Tomorrow is our last pool play game, against Czech Republic. Although it doesn't affect our standings in the pool, it sets the standard of how we are going to play for the rest of the tournament...I am already anxious and excited to get back onto the field tomorrow!
Here's a little shout out to my family and my best friend Kaitlin Inglesby for reading all my blogs and supporting me all the way from Seattle, it means so much to me!
Love you all, thanks for following!
GO CANADA!
Victoria
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