A Prince George woman’s performance at the park last season has been honoured by the country’s national governing body for baseball.
Amanda Asay was bestowed the Ashley Stephenson Award by Baseball Canada for exemplifying leadership skills to a 2019 team loaded with up-and-coming players as young as age 16.
The 31-year-old’s dedication on the mound, at the plate and in the dugout was rewarded last August with a bronze medal from the Pan-Am Women’s Baseball Championships and a spot in the 2020 World Cup.
“With the retirement of key veterans Nicole Luchanksi, Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson following the 2018 seasons, Amanda Asay took on an important leadership role for the 2019 club,” Baseball Canada said in a statement.
“Stats aside, it could be argued that her greatest asset was her leadership of such a young team. She is a great role model for her teammates; her effort, attitude and execution always gives her team a chance to win.”
This will be Asay’s eighth appearance at a World Baseball-Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup in her 14-year career with Canada’s national women’s team.
She first stepped onto the international scene in 2006 and has since won three bronze and two silver when competing in the biennial World Cup event.
This past summer in Mexico, Asay batted an ‘astronomical’ .700 with two doubles, one triple and a home run, while also going 1-1 on the mound.
This included Canada’s 11-1 third-place clinching win over the host-nation.
"I can't say enough good things about Asay," said Canadian Manager Aaron Myette following the victory.
"She pitches, she's a leader, and then we know we're going to get good at-bats from her. We know she's not intimidated by any situation or any pitcher, and we know she can hit the ball hard like she did today, bringing in those two runs for us."
She was also featured in the national women’s team’s #SocialDistancing4theWin video, taking part in team practice via the internet to promote distancing yourself from others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Right now, the 2020 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup is scheduled for Sept. 11 to 20, but could be subject to cancellation if the virus outbreak continues.
- with files from The Canadian Press
