Canada Opens Olympic Play with 6-1 Win

The Olympic coaching debut of Nebraska Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel was a successful one, as Sippel's Canadian squad opened pool play in Beijing with a 6-1 victory over Chinese Taipei. A pair of Huskers also saw action in the victory, as Sheena Lawrick went 0-for-4 while earning the start at first base and Robin Mackin pitched the final two innings, allowing one run while striking out two.

Canada jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second and added two more in the third to push the lead to 4-0. Two more runs in the sixth made the score 6-0 and the Canadians nearly closed out the shutout before a two-out, seventh-inning home run for Chinese Taipei. The homer spoiled a solid Olympic debut for Mackin, who was one out away from tossing a perfect final two innings. Mackin will be a junior for Nebraska in 2008-09.

Lawrick, making her second straight Olympic appearance, hit in the No. 5 spot for Canada. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Lawrick's final season at Nebraska came in 2005.

Team Canada continues pool play on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 6:30 a.m. (Central) against the Netherlands. That game can be seen live in the United States on www.NBCOlympics.com and live in Canada on www.cbc.ca/olympics/livevideo/.

Fans can watch the entire game by clicking here
(courtesy of www.NBCOlympics.com).