Next generation of softball stars shine bright at Canada Games

The next generation of Canadian softball got its first taste of the Canada Games in St. John's on Sunday, and players are hoping it could be another step toward something much bigger.

Chloe Bethune, Rylee Ruppel, and Cece Brown — three members of the country's U18 national team — traded in their Team Canada uniforms for the white, blue and yellow of Team B.C. Each played a role in their Canada Games tournament-opening win on Sunday at Legion Field, which ended in a 15-0 victory over Team P.E.I. in a mercy-shortened four innings.

Brown opened the scoring for Team B.C., smacking a long fly ball to left field for a two-RBI triple in the first inning. The 17-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., added two more runs on a pair of sacrifice fly balls to finish with four RBIs in the game.

Ruppel started the game at second base but was brought in to pitch the bottom of the fourth inning. The 17-year-old, also of Maple Ridge, B.C., induced three weak groundouts to close the game.

"I think our team came out really hot and confident, and we all played together and just did what we needed to do for our first game," Ruppel said.

Bethune, an 18-year-old from Lindell Beach, B.C., was her team's catcher for all four innings, helping shut out their opponents.

All three players are working their way to joining the Canadian senior national team one day, and said the Canada Games are a good experience on that journey.

"[Making the senior team] is the big goal," Bethune said. "I think it's all of our goals. We really want to represent our country at the biggest stage."

"Representing your province and representing your country is all really special," Brown said. "[The Canada Games are] a pretty different experience, tournament-wise, because we get