When Nicole Luchanski returned home with a silver medal from the last womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball World Cup, she tucked the shiny piece of hardware away in a drawer.

The veteran second baseman hasnB次元官网网址檛 spent much time admiring that medal B次元官网网址� a reminder of a crushing 10-0 loss to Japan B次元官网网址� in the two years since.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not that Luchanski doesnB次元官网网址檛 recognize the accomplishment of second place. ItB次元官网网址檚 that she wants to be better.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really proud of our team for finishing so high in the rankings consistently but IB次元官网网址檝e never been a proponent of silver and bronze in baseball,B次元官网网址� the Edmonton native said in a phone interview before the 2018 World Cup in Viera, Fla. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e in track and field or swimming or another individual sport and you come in the top 3, thatB次元官网网址檚 a huge deal.

B次元官网网址淏ut I think of baseball like any other pro team sport. If you donB次元官网网址檛 win the World Series no one gives you a silver medal.B次元官网网址�

The 2016 silver was LuchanskiB次元官网网址檚 second at a World Cup (and third total after one from the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto). She was also part of two bronze-medal wins since joining the national team in 2005.

But no gold. Not yet, anyway.

Canada, ranked No. 2 behind Japan, opens play Wednesday against No. 10 Hong Kong. The Canadians have finished in the top 4 in every World Cup since the biennial tournament started in 2004, but they donB次元官网网址檛 consider their place atop the standings as an advantage.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e underdogs, weB次元官网网址檙e not ranked No. 1,B次元官网网址� Luchanski said.

Amanda Asay, a right-handed pitcher who joined the team with Luchanski 13 years ago, agreed.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 really think we have a target on our backs,B次元官网网址� the Prince George, B.C., native said. B次元官网网址淭his is the eighth World Cup so the countries that are competing for the top spot already know where everyone is at.

B次元官网网址淗opefully our development over the last year will put us ahead of our competition and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e aiming for.B次元官网网址�

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Luchanski and Asay were among a handful of players without a hit in the 2016 loss to Japan B次元官网网址� Canada only managed two in a game Luchanski described as B次元官网网址渘ot even close.B次元官网网址�

A perennial powerhouse, Japan is the tournamentB次元官网网址檚 main competition again this year. No. 3 U.S. and No. 4 Australia also present challenges in the 12-team field.

Asay called JapanB次元官网网址檚 offence B次元官网网址漹ery technically sound. They donB次元官网网址檛 make a lot of mistakes and they put a lot of balls in play.B次元官网网址� Luchanski, meanwhile, complimented their pitching staff: B次元官网网址淭hey can throw sliders and off-speed stuff for strikes more consistently than any other country.B次元官网网址�

This yearB次元官网网址檚 tournament will be the seventh World Cup for both Asay and Luchanski, who became fast friends when they met years ago when baseball and similar off-field interests sealed their bond.

Luchanski works as a forester and resource analyst in Edmonton while Asay is completing a PhD in forestry at UBC. TheyB次元官网网址檝e worked summer jobs together in the wilderness of Western Canada and played on the same provincial team as teenagers at a time when B.C. was unable to field a full roster of womenB次元官网网址檚 players, instead blending with Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The womenB次元官网网址檚 game has progressed in the west and elsewhere since those days. The two youngest players on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 current team B次元官网网址� 16-year-olds Allison Schroder and Emma March B次元官网网址� are both from B.C.

B次元官网网址淚 see the effort they put in around here,B次元官网网址� Asay said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e promoting the womenB次元官网网址檚 game a ton more than when I was growing up.B次元官网网址�

But while womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball is growing across Canada, the sport still doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem to get much attention.

Luchanski said one of the problems is the lack of TV coverage for the womenB次元官网网址檚 team, pointing to the 2015 Pan Am Games B次元官网网址� the first international multisport event to feature womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball B次元官网网址� as a missed opportunity to showcase the sport.

B次元官网网址淭hat was our chance to have a young girl turn on the TV and see that she could play baseball,B次元官网网址� Luchanski said. B次元官网网址淚 know there were a ton of sports that they were trying to get on TV but it seemed we couldnB次元官网网址檛 even get a highlight.

B次元官网网址淲e keep trying (to get more exposure) but I donB次元官网网址檛 know that weB次元官网网址檝e really gotten anywhere.B次元官网网址�

Asay said she often gets the common misconception that she plays softball B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址減eople are still kind of shocked that Canada has a womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball teamB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� but she sees those moments as opportunities to educate people on the program.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 just the reality of our situation,B次元官网网址� Asay said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not that well known, weB次元官网网址檙e not well broadcast, itB次元官网网址檚 not well advertised.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l keep fighting as hard as we can to get more exposure, to let people know that we exist and to let young girls know thereB次元官网网址檚 a future in baseball for them.B次元官网网址�

Melissa Couto, The Canadian Press

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