Canada softball back into the Olympic Games

Danielle Lawrie (Langley), back from a three year hiatus from national team softball, returned to pitch her team to a 7-0 win over Brazil at the America’s softball Olympic qualifier in Surrey to clinch a spot in Tokyo 2020.

Lawrie was the Team BC Opening Ceremony flag bearer for the 2005 Canada Games and debuted for Team Canada that very same year. She was on the squad that placed fourth the last time softball was included on the Olympic program at Beijing in 2008.

Lawrie threw eight strikeouts over five innings allowing just one hit to secure the win. Canada, ranked third in the world, was the top team heading into the qualifying tournament and gave up just two runs in seven games, both runs as the team dropped a 1-2 decision to Mexico, ranked number 5 in the world.

The team had a busy year finishing second at the Pan American Games in Peru and taking home first place in July’s Canada Cup in Surrey.