Women’s World Cup Qualifying Series: Canada dominates game one
Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hillaire, Que.) belted a three-run home run to help the Women's National Team to a 14-0 win over Puerto Rico at the WBSC Americas Women’s World Cup Qualifying Series on Thursday. Photo: Baseball Canada
April 30, 2026
Baseball Canada
FAJARDO, Puerto Rico - It took an extra day and a game one location change for the WBSC Americas Women’s World Cup Qualifying Series to begin but when it did Canada came out swinging, pounding out 12 hits including a three-run homer off the bat of Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hillaire, Que.) for a convincing 14-0 win over host Puerto Rico.
Canada now leads the best-of-five series 1-0 with a doubleheader set for Friday at Roberto Clemente Walker Stadium in Carolina beginning at 2 p.m. E.T.
Box Score: Game 1 Canada 14, Puerto Rico 0 (5 innings)
On the mound, Raine Padgham (Abbotsford, B.C.) started for the Canadians, pitching a five-inning complete game with the mercy rule in effect after the fifth.
Padgham recorded seven strikeouts while only allowing one hit which came in the fourth inning.
Canada’s offence got going right from the start as they built a three-run lead in the top of the first getting RBIs from Mia Valcke (St. Marys, Ont.), Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.) and Cassie Matlock (Edmonton, Alta.).
Gélinas, who was celebrating her 21st birthday, was a sparkplug for the Women’s National Team, leading the squad going 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and coming around to score twice.
With Canada leading 5-0 in the second inning, Leblanc came to the plate with two runners aboard and drilled a 2-2 offering over the wall in right field to give her team a commanding eight-run lead.
The veteran duo of Valcke and OF Claire Eccles (Surrey, B.C.), who were a part of the WNT silver medal performance in the 2016 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup, showed off their experience on the national stage, combining for four hits, five RBIs, four runs scored, and two extra-base hits.
Valcke went 2-for-2, with three RBIs, hitting a double in the first, driving in the first run of the game and came around to score three times. Eccles was also 2-for-2 on the day, with two RBIs, one walk, hitting a triple in the fourth and came around to score once.
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