2016 Women’s Softball World Championship Day 4 Game Summary

Following the three-day preliminary round robin stage, the top 16 nations from each pool have advanced into the Championship Round. The remaining teams have been eliminated from medal contention but will continue in the Placement Round.

In the Championship Pool, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and Japan all won to extend their undefeated records, while host Canada suffered their first defeat.

In the Placement Round, Israel and France both claimed their first victory in the world championship.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

Puerto Rico (1-0) vs. Italy (0-1)
4-0
Box Score

Puerto Rico and Italy went head-to-head in the first game of the Championship Round. But Puerto Rico walked away with a 4-0 victory.

In the fourth inning, Puerto Rico got all the runs it needed off a Sahvanna Jaquish home run. However, they added one more run in the inning when Francesca Torraca scored following a defensive error.

In the top of the sixth, pinch-runner Luz Feliciano advanced to third on a Torraca double. Dayanira Diaz then pushed a single through to score Feliciano. Entering the at-bat for the first time in the game, Shemiah Sanchez hits a sacrifice fly to left field to score Torraca bringing the score to 4-0 and the easy Puerto Rico win.

Winning Pitcher: Meghan King
Losing Pitcher: Ilaria Cacciamani

Next Up
Puerto Rico: Wednesday at 7:30pm vs. Canada
Italy: Tuesday at 5:30pm vs. Venezuela

Great Britain (0-1) vs. New Zealand (1-0)
0-6
Box Score

New Zealand blanked Great Britain 6-0 to continue their undefeated streak. Left fielder Mikalya Werahiko led her team with three RBIs and one double. Taylor-Paige Stewart pitched six strong innings holding Great Britain to three hits.

In the first inning, Werahiko hit a single to score Ellie Cooper and Lara Andrews for a quick 2-0 lead.

The third inning brought three more runs in for the White Sox when Werahiko doubles to score Jennifer Feret from first. Werahiko was then driven in by Mereana Makea’s grounder to pitcher Kori Waugh. Another single, this time by Kingsley Avery drove in Nukunuku making the score 5-0.

New Zealand added the final run of the game in the fourth inning when Nukunuku hit her second single of the game to score Feret.

Winning Pitcher: Taylor-Page Stewart
Losing Pitcher: Georgina Corrick

Next Up
Great Britain: Tuesday at 5:00pm vs. Japan
New Zealand: Tuesday at 12:30pm vs. Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei (0-1) vs. Japan (1-0)
1-6
Box Score

The top two teams from Asia battled it out in the teams’ first championship round game.

Japan was the first to strike scoring three runs in the second inning. Leadoff batter Haruna Sakamoto reached base from a walk. In typical Japanese style, she advanced from a groundout and error and then was batted in by a Natsuko Sugama double.  After Haruka Agatsuma got on first from a walk, the next batter, Yu Yamamoto singles to score Sugama. Aggressively searching for a larger lead, Agatsuma then stole home on a Ya-Chu Lee ball for the 3-0 advantage.

Chinese Taipei on the board got on board in the top of the fourth as Szu-Shih Li hit a solo home run.

In the bottom of the inning, Sakamoto reached base again on a single. She advanced to second through a ground out to first and was batted in by Yamato Fujita’s single. Pitcher An-Ju Chiu then entered the game and was able to get out of the inning with the score 4-1.

Japan added two more runs in the sixth when Sugama hit a two-run shot for a 6-1 lead and eventual win.

Winning Pitcher: Yukari Hamamura
Losing Pitcher: Ya-Chu Lee

Next Up
Chinese Taipei: Tuesday at 12:30pm vs. New Zealand
Japan: Tuesday at 5:00pm vs. Great Britain

Australia (1-0) vs. Philippines (0-1)
11-1 (5 innings)
Box Score

Australia blasted the Philippines 11-1 in five innings for their third straight win of the world championship.

The score escalated quickly after Australia scored four runs on four hits, including a double by Belinda White in the first inning. Stacey Porter followed up the next inning with a one-out solo home run to make the score 5-0.

After a scoreless third, Australia heated things up again scoring four runs on four hits. Chelsea Forkin and Brenda De Blaes both doubled.

In the fifth inning, Australia loaded the bases with no outs. Two consecutive sacrifice flies allowed Janice Blackman and Erin Thras to score for the 11-0 lead.

The Philippines avoided the shutout in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Francesca Altamonte safely reaches first on a drop third strike play. She advanced to third on a Rizza Bernardino single and then scored on an undefended steal.

Winning Pitcher: Kaia Parnaby
Losing Pitcher: Mary L. Antolihao

Next Up
Australia: Wednesday at 8:00pm vs. United States
Philippines: Wednesday at 12:30pm vs. China

Venezuela (1-0) vs. Canada (0-1)
6-1
Box Score

Canada ended its winning streak losing to Venezuela 6-1. The Venezuelans jumped out to an early lead while Canada was unable to capitalize on its chances, including leaving the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth after nearly taking the lead on a grand slam that went just foul.

After having a day off on Sunday, Venezuela jumped out to a quick lead after a one-out single and a two-run homerun by Yuruby Alicart in the top of the first inning.

The following inning, Venezuela added a run to its lead with a solo homerun by Milagros Lozada that just cleared the centerfield fence with the wind blowing straight out.

Natalie Wideman led off the bottom of the third with a single up the middle, and after a pair of fielder’s choices, Canada loaded the bases on singles by Joey Lye, and Kaleigh Rafter. Jenn Salling drew a bases loaded walk to force a run to the plate, but the next batter grounded out to second as Canada trailed 3-1.

Venezuela got that run right back after a leadoff double, a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third and after a pitching change for Canada, the next batter hit a shallow fly ball to right just out of  Victoria Hayward’s reach, allowing the runner to score from third.

Both teams went down in order in the fifth, and Canada had a glorious opportunity to get back in the game in the bottom half of the sixth. They managed to load the bases on singles by Rafter and Salling, and a fielder’s choice by Jen Yee who hit a line drive off the pitcher’s glove that the second baseman tried to flip to second but the shortstop was unable to hang on to. Erika Polidori then drove a ball deep to left field that hooked just foul in front of the foul pole, missing a go-ahead grand slam by a matter of inches. She went on to strike out on the next pitch, followed by pop up on the infield and a ground out to second as Venezuela escaped the inning without any damage.

In the top of the seventh, Venezuela loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a hit by pitch before getting a clutch two-run single to take a commanding 6-1 lead and win.

Winning Pitcher: Desiree Ybarra
Losing Pitcher: Sara Groenewegen

Next Up
Venezuela: Tuesday at 5:30pm vs. Italy
Canada: Wednesday at 7:30pm vs. Puerto Rico

Brazil (1-0) vs. Cuba (1-0)
5-1
Box Score

Winning Pitcher: Camila M. Silva
Losing Pitcher: Anisley L. Gutierrez

Next Up
Brazil: Tuesday at 12:30 vs. Netherlands
Cuba: Tuesday at 8:00pm vs. Mexico

PLACEMENT ROUND

Israel (1-0) vs. Switzerland (0-1)
11-8
Box Score

Israel earned their first world championship win today with a 11-8 victory over Switzerland.

Switzerland struck first when Nina Wolfensberger reached on a lead-off walk and was batted in by Adeline Glauser’s single in the bottom of the first. Corina Casparis brought the score to 2-0 when a defensive error allowed her to cross the plate.

In the second, Switzerland added three more runs by Kim Zehnder, Giulia Oswald, and Casparis for a 5-0 lead.

But Israel had a huge third inning, scoring nine runs on eight hits. With the bases loaded and no outs, Israel had three consecutive hits to score four runs. Runner were still on first and second when Judith Nosgorodsky singled to score Sarah Tannenbaum. An error by the centerfielder then allowed Mariam Block and Nosgorodsky to score. Meirav Eisenberg then hit a single to bring Mariana Fox and Adi Kahn home and the 9-5 Israel lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Switzerland lessened the run gap scoring two unearned runs of their own by Wolfensberger and Zehnder.

In the fourth, Israel expanded their lead again scoring pair of runs. Rhonda Lloyd hit a double to start the inning and was brought home due to another defensive error. Efrat Yakov scored the second run with a one-out grounder to the pitcher, bringing the score to 11-7.

Switzerland tried to mount a comeback in the sixth inning, but could only manage to score one run by Jessica Spring on a pass ball. The ball game then ended with Israel on top 11-8.

Winning Pitcher: Allison Aronovic
Losing Pitcher: Adeline Glauser

Next Up
Israel: Wednesday at 12:30pm vs. Guatemala
Switzerland: Wednesday at 5:30pm vs. Czech Republic

Uganda (0-1) vs. Ecuador (1-0)
2-4
Box Score

Ecuador defeated Uganda 4-2 to claim their second win in this world championship.

Ecuador got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning. Dara Ayovi, who was standing on third following a defensive error, and was batted home by Maria Saona for the first score. With two outs and runners on first and second, Anelizabeth Torres hit the inning’s third single to score Hanna Bernal and Erika Mejia, making it 3-0.

Uganda got on board in the third inning as both teams exchanged runs, raising the score to 4-1. Uganda’s Noel Apamakuru scored on an Amelia Crossley single, while Ecuador watched as Bernal hit a single to right field to plate Heidi Ugalde.

The Africans cut Ecuador’s lead in half in the fourth on a wild pitch allowing Magdalena Crossley to cruise on home. But they were unable to capitalize with Leona Mirembe on third as Apamakuru popped out to left field, giving Ecuador the eventual win.

Winning Pitcher: Susy Solis
Losing Pitcher: Rosemary Iopaowitt

Next Up
Uganda: Wednesday at 7:30pm vs. Kenya
Ecuador: Tuesday at 10:00am vs. Kenya

Greece (0-1) vs. Austria (1-0)
4-5
Box Score

Austria defeated Greece 5-4 in their first close competitive game today.

The Austrians wasted no time getting on the board, scoring two runs in the first inning by Ines Daill and Birgit Grass.

In the third inning, Austria extended their lead with their straight singles to score Victoria Lenk.

But Greece prevented the shutout by getting on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Greece took advantage of a pitching change as Samantha Lisikatos singled who was then driven in by Nicolette Gialketsis’s double.

In the top of the fifth, Greece added one run from another RBI by Gialketsis to drive in Theodora Skarogianni and make the score 3-2.

Greece took the lead in the sixth inning scoring two runs. With one-out, Evangelia Stefatou and Ioanna Donta both reached base on consecutive walks. An untimely fielding error by Farnleitner allowed both to score and Greece take the lead.

But Austria answered right back tying the game during their at-bat. Starting pitcher Cornelia Chwojka re-entered the game to hit a single to drive in Birgit Grass.

Austria then loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. An error by the 2B allowed Lauren Du Toit to score to give Austria the 5-4 win.

Winning Pitcher: Cornelia Chwojka
Losing Pitcher: Loren K. Stavrou

Next Up
Greece: Tuesday at 12:30pm vs. Serbia
Austria: Tuesday at 10:00am vs. Pakistan

France (1-0) vs. India (0-1)
9-2 (6 innings)
Box Score

France enjoyed their first win of this world championship as they defeated India 9-2 in six innings.

France captured the lead in the first inning scoring two unearned runs from two errors.  They added another pair of runs in the second when Camille Lemaire and Carrie Pitcher each singled before being hit in by Rosie Lyard.

The fourth inning offered France three more runs on four hits, including a triple by Camille Riera for the larger 8-0 lead.

India got on board in the bottom of the inning, enjoying their first two runs ever scored in a world championship. Pooja Parkhe and Sandeep Kaur hit back to back singles before Harshita Khanna walked to load the bases with one out. After substitutions for both teams, Smita Gangurde was struck out by the fresh pitcher Sarah Benchali. Priyanka Baghel hit the next pitch for a single. But a throwing error allowed Harpreet Kaur and Sandeep Kaur to score, before Khanna was thrown out at home to end the inning.

France padded their lead to close the game out early scoring one run in the sixth by Pitcher.

Winning Pitcher: Alienor Toumit
Losing Pitcher: Pooja Parkhe

Next Up
France: Tuesday at 8:00pm vs. Ireland
India: Tuesday at 5:00pm vs. Peru