Softball Alumna Danielle Lopez Wins Silver Medal With Team Canada At Pan Am Games

MEDFORD - Danielle Lopez, an all-star infielder for the Tufts University softball team who graduated in 2009, won a silver medal while playing for the Canadian National Softball Team at the 16th Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico October 17-23.

This mark's Lopez's second medal won with the team. She was a part of Canada's bronze-medal winning team at the World Cup of Softball held in Oklahoma City back in July.

At the Pan Am games, Lopez played in five games for the Canadian Team. In an 11-0 win against Argentina on Oct. 18, she started at second base and went 1 for 1 with two runs scored, a double, a walk and a put-out. In Oct. 19's 8-1 victory against Mexico, Lopez was again the starter at second and was 0 for 2 with an rbi, three put-outs and an assist. On Oct. 20 against the United States, Lopez entered the game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the fifth inning. She came on as a pinch runner in the game against Dominican Republic on Oct. 21.

Canada went 5-2 in the preliminaries and moved into the semi-finals. They defeated Venezuela 11-1 and Cuba 4-0 to make it to the Grand Final against the US. They lost 11-1 and settled for the silver. Lopez pinch hit in the US game and was 0 for 1. For the tournament, she was 1 for 4 with two runs, an rbi, a double and a walk offensively. She handled five fielding chances perfectly with four put-outs and an assist.

This past summer, Lopez tried out for and was selected to play for the Canadian National Team. An assistant coach under Cheryl Milligan at Tufts for the past two seasons, she attended a regional try-out in Brampton, Ontario and from there was invited to the final selection camp in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory June 29 through July 5.

After being selected to the team, she played in the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship July 8-17. She played regularly in the tournament, primarily at second base, third base and as the designated hitter. She drove home the team's only run in a 3-1 loss to the United States on July 11. In July 13's 9-0 victory over Venezuela, she was 2 for 3 with two rbi. In a July 15 game against Venezuela, she went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Her performance at the Scotiabank Tournament earned Lopez a spot on the Canadian World Cup Team. That tournament was broadcast by ESPN. In an opening 9-6 loss to Japan on July 21, she entered the game as a pinch runner and scored a run. She did not play in the next three games, but got the start as the DH against Australia on July 24 and drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to help give Canada an early lead. In the bronze medal game against Australia again, Lopez started at DH and was 1 for 3 with a run scored and an rbi as Canada took the bronze with a 4-1 victory.

Lopez's mother, Sue Ramey, was born and raised in Canada and her entire family still lives just north of Toronto. Lopez's parents lived and were married in Toronto, and the family resided in Montreal for a few years when Danielle was a toddler.

Tufts' all-time leader in several categories, Lopez hit .369 with 29 home runs, 43 doubles, 141 runs and 161 runs batted in over 167 games in her Tufts career.

Find more information on Lopez and Team Canada at the Pan Am Games here!

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