Canadian pitches perfect softball game at Pan Ams

Sara Groenewegen pitched a perfect game to lead the Canadian women’s softball team to an 8-0 win over Venezuela on Monday at the Pan American Games.

The native of White Rock, B.C., struck out 10 in five innings as Canada improved to 2-0 at the tournament.

Larissa Franklin of Maple Ridge, B.C., drove in three runs for Canada.

Groenewegen was also a key player for Canada when the team beat the United States in the 2015 Pan Am final in Ajax.

Canada faces the reigning world champion Americans on Tuesday.

Softball is back in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after being kept off the schedule the past two Summer Games.

The Pan Ams are not an Olympic qualifier.

Canada will return home for the Americas Olympic Qualifier, Aug. 25-Sept. 1 in Surrey, B.C. WATER POLO The Canadian women’s water polo team improved to 2-0 with a 28-2 win over Peru.

Axelle Crevier of Montreal and Emma Wright of Lindsay, led Canada with five goals apiece.

Monika Eggens, Shae Fournier, Hayley McKelvey and Kyra Christmas each had three goals for Canada.

The Pan Am water polo tournament serves as an Olympic qualifier. The men’s and women’s winners both advance to Tokyo 2020.

The Canadian women return to action against Mexico on Tuesday, wrapping up preliminaryround play.

Canada won silver at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS Canada’s Natalie Garcia won a silver medal in the clubs discipline.

Americans Camilla Feeley and Evita Griskenas took gold and bronze, respectively.

Garcia, from Mississauga, was second in the clubs at this year’s Canadian championships. She took gold in the discipline at last year’s Junior Pan American Championships. RACQUETBALL Two Canadians were knocked out in the men’s singles quarterfinals.

Coby Iwaasa of Lethbridge, Alta., lost 2-0 (15-14, 15-13) to Mexico’s Alvaro Beltran.