Staff report

PORTLAND, Ore. — Rowan scored three runs in the first inning and rolled to a 10-1 win over Canada in the opening round of the Little League Softball World Series.
“We got off to a very good start with three quick runs,” Rowan coach Steve Yang said in a phone interview Thursday evening. “That helped us, but we didn’t swing the bats very well and we didn’t get the timely hits we’re used to getting. We did get good pitching and our defense was solid.”
Rowan (13-0), representing the Southeast region in the 10-team World Series, was led by Kali Morton. She pitched three shutout innings to start the game and also had two hits and two RBIs.
Kary Hales had two hits and two RBIs and pitched the sixth inning. Taylor Walton shut out the Canadian champs in the fourth and fifth innings. Hales, Morton and Allison Ennis scored two runs each.
Rowan was the visiting team. Ennis reached on an error to start the game. After Hales doubled, Morton’s infield hit scored two runs. Morton scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
Hits by Ennis and Hales and an error pushed Rowan’s lead to 4-0 in the second inning. Liza Simmerson walked and scored in the third inning for a 5-0 lead.
Rowan didn’t score again until it pushed across five runs in the top of the sixth frame, taking a commanding 10-0 lead.
“As a coach, I guess you’re never completely happy, but I thought we were a little sluggish,” Yang said. “But we also started a little slow in the district, state and regional tournaments. I’m glad we’ve got this first one out of the way.”
Ellie Wilhelm and Taylor Sanborn also contributed to Rowan’s total of seven hits. Wilhelm and Caitlin Mann had RBIs. Rowan didn’t make an error in the six-inning contest and Canada hurt itself with five errors on defense.
Rowan will hold a two-hour practice session today but will not play a game.
“We need the practice,” Yang said. “Especially in the batting cages.”
Yang said the teams from Texas and Washington looked strong in rolling to big wins on Thursday.
Rowan will return to pool play at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) on Saturday, when it takes on Slater, Iowa.
Imperial Brown, which has a Salisbury plant, has company headquarters in Portland and will be showering the Rowan girls with goodwill today — a luncheon and gift cards for a Nike factory outlet. Nike’s home office is in nearby Beaverton, Ore.
“We had a great trip out here, we’re being treated like royalty and we’re taking in every minute,” Yang said. “All the teams are in the same hotel. The teams from Philippines and Uganda speak English and we’re making new friends from all over the world.”

The Post’s Mike London and Narrative Science/GameChanger Media contributed to this article. 

Rowan (SE) 311 005 — 10 7 0
Canada 000 001 — 1 4 5