Caira Wraps Up Team Canada Tour
8/6/2010 9:26:36 AM | Softball
Team Canada Official Website | Caira Team Canada Photo Gallery
Rising junior pitcher Jenna Caira represented Orange internationally this summer as a member of the Canadian Senior National Team. Caira and Team Canada won bronze at the ISF World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela before capping off their summer schedule at the KFC World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“This summer was a great experience for me to grow not only as a player, but as a person,” Caira said. “I was put into some tough situations in the circle. With the support of my Team Canada coaches and teammates, I was able to overcome them by trusting in my abilities while staying mentally tough throughout the process by pushing my limits. Playing with Olympic veterans allowed me to see how leaders truly affect a team's success and they should be commended.”
The BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, Caira is in her second season with the Canadian Senior National Team, after being selected out of an evaluation camp in May 2009. The Toronto, Ontario native has established herself as the second starter in Canada's rotation behind two-time National Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie.
After training camp in Orlando, Fla., Team Canada opened the ISF World Championship on a four-game win streak, defeating Cuba, Chinese Taipei, Argentina and Great Britain by a combined score of 30-2. Caira made her ISF World Championship debut against Argentina, shutting out the opposition while allowing three hits through 4.0 innings and striking out a pair to earn the win.
Caira also had a strong showing in a narrow 2-1 loss against Japan. She entered in relief of Lawrie in the sixth inning, retiring the Japanese hitters in order to give Canada space to mount a comeback in the seventh. Despite the loss, Team Canada finished pool play strong with a pair of wins against South Africa and the Netherlands to advance to the playoffs.
After a tough loss to Team USA in the opening round of the playoffs, Team Canada rattled off a pair of wins against Australia and China to secure its spot among the top three. Caira pitched 3.2 innings of the 3-2 win against Australia, entering in relief of Lawrie in the fourth inning. She shut out the opposition for the third time at the World Championships, allowing four hits and only one walk to earn the win.
Canada capped off its ISF World Championship run with a bronze medal following a loss to Japan in the silver/bronze game. Caira threw 4.1 innings of the medal game, allowing four earned runs while striking out six, she received no decision in the contest. It marked the first ISF World Championship medal for Canada since the fourth edition of the tournament in 1978.
“Winning bronze was a great feeling because I got to be part of history,” Caira said. “Everything seemed to pull through for us that day, perhaps because it was CANADA DAY! Our team showed its true colors by never giving up, staying focused and playing to the best of our abilities right up to the very last pitch.”
Following its bronze medal finish, Team Canada returned home for a series of exhibition games against Team USA and the Team USA Futures squad in Surrey, British Columbia and Whitehorse, Yukon.
Caira met a familiar face in an exhibition game against Team USA Futures, as the pitching match up pitted her against former Syracuse pitching coach Angela Tincher. Caira earned the win in the 5-0 victory, allowing three hits and no earned runs while striking out six. Tincher threw 3.0 innings of the contest, striking out a pair and allowing one earned run.
“When I found out that day that I was pitching against Tinch, I asked my coach if he had planned it,” Caira said. “I didn't want this game to feel like a rivalry of teacher versus student. Tinch is a great athlete, being able to actually watch her perform on the mound and be successful truly made me feel fortunate that I was able to learn so much from her this past year. She has been a great teacher, mentor and a friend and I know our team is seriously going to miss her next year.”
The duo squared off again two days later with opposite results as Tincher pitched Team USA Futures to a 3-1 win. Caira threw four innings of the contest, allowing one earned run while striking out three. Tincher threw the full seven innings, surrendering one earned run while recording eight strikeouts.
Caira capped off the exhibition schedule with a second victory against Team USA Futures. She earned the victory with a 3.0 inning one-hit shutout performance where she notched five strikeouts.
Pool play at the KFC World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City, Okla. proved to be more challenging for the Canadians, who opened the tournament with three-straight losses. Caira earned the start in game two against Team USA Futures, holding the opposition scoreless while allowing three hits through as many innings while striking out four. She received no decision in the contest as Tincher pitched the Futures to a 5-4 win.
In the third game of pool play, Caira kept the Canadians in the contest with a strong performance against a Japanese team that was dominant at the ISF World Championship. She threw the complete 7.1 extra-inning contest, holding Japan without an earned run while striking out seven. Despite the effort from Caira in the circle, Japan went on to win, 1-0.
Caira capped off the international season with one of the best performances of her softball career, leading Team Canada to a 5-2 victory against Team USA. It marked the first loss for the United States at the KFC World Cup of Softball. Caira got the start against the Americans and pitched the first four innings before a rain delay halted the contest, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out a pair. After almost three hours off the field, Lawrie entered in relief, throwing 2.2 innings. Caira re-entered in the bottom of the seventh with Team Canada ahead, 5-2, and Team USA threatening to score with two outs, runners on first and second. Caira forced a ground ball, ending the game and sealing the victory.
“I knew that playing against USA was going to be a tough game, and in order for me to be successful, I had to become mentally ready, Caira said. “I respected every single batter that came up to the plate and I made sure that every pitch had a purpose. It is difficult to explain how I felt during those innings of play, it all happened rather quickly, I think it was because I was playing in the moment. I feel that our catcher, Kaleigh Rafter called a great game behind the plate in mixing speeds and setting up batters. Our defense was sound and our offense got the timely hits. It was an experience of a lifetime and I hope that after playing USA that night, this experience can help me grow as a player for Syracuse.”
Team Canada capped off its 2010 season, just missing its second bronze medal with a 5-2 loss to the Team USA Futures.
“I'm not sure that everyone can understand the magnitude of Jenna's accomplishments this summer,” Syracuse head coach Leigh Ross said. “She has placed herself in the ranks of some of the best players in the world. Her experience with Team Canada is invaluable in the sense that being part of that program and competing with and against the top softball players in the game continues to make her a better pitcher, competitor and teammate. We are so lucky to have her as part of the Syracuse softball program. She's not only a great player and leader but is the epitome of what a student-athlete should be.”
