Day 7 at the Women’s Softball World Championship 2014

Day 7 of the XIV Women’s World Championship in Haarlem (The Netherlands) saw the conclusion of the preliminary round, resulting in the final decisions for the ranking in the two groups.

During the course of the day, as the final games were played in Groups A and B, four more teams qualified for the Championship Round, which opens on Friday, August 22.

The eight teams that didn’t made the top-4 in their group will play in the Consolation Round, which also begins on Friday.

Japan, USA, Australia and Canada, the top-4 of the 2012 World Championship in Whitehorse (Canada) already had secured their spot in the next round. Today, they got company from China and New Zealand from Group A and Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands from Group B.

Japan, USA, Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands also were in the play-offs in 2010 and 2012. New Zealand returns to the top-8 for the first time since 2002 when the event was held in Saskatoon (Canada).

Day 7 had a remarkable feat today. It not only was the seventh day of the Championship, the first six games today all ended with a 7-run difference, five of them having a 7-0 score, the other an 8-1 score.

Game 49: Dominican Republic vs. Australia, 0-7 (6 inn.) [Box Score]

Australia concluded play in Group B with a 7-0 victory against the Dominican Republic. Pitchers Kaia Parnaby and Jocelyn McCallum, who both threw three innings, pitched a combined no-hitter.

Australia initially was held scoreless in the first two innings by Geovanny Nunez, despite threatening in the first at-bat when it loaded the bases. Stacey Porter led off with a double and Melinda Weaver followed with a bunt single. With two outs, Jade Wall walked, but Geovanny Nunez (who made her fourth start for the Dominican squad) then ended the inning with a strike out.

Australia then struck with four runs on four hits in the third inning. Stacey Porter again led off with a double and Melinda Weaver was safe on her sacrifice bunt/fielder’s choice, resulting in runners on second and third base. A sacrifice fly by Jodie Bowering and single by Rachel Lack then accounted for the first two runs. Moments later, Taylah Tsitsikronis added a 2-run triple to make it 4-0.

In the sixth, Australia added three runs. Taylah Tsitsikronis accomplished a rare feat by hitting her second triple in the game, then scored on a wild pitch. Hereafter, Australia loaded the bases on three consecutive singles, then a ground out by Melinda Weaver and a sac-fly by Rachel Lack lifted the lead to 7-0, which was enough to end the game via the run-ahead rule. After today’s games, Rachel Lack leads the event with eleven runs batted in.

W-Jocelyn McCallum (1-0), L-Geovanny Nunez (1-3)

Game 50: Cuba vs. Canada, 0-7 [Box Score]

Canada also completed play in Group A with a 7-0 shut out victory against Cuba. Canada collected 12 base hits off of two pitchers, including three by Caitlin Lever, who was batting .500 before today’s games and by adding the three hits, she raised it to .556. Stacey Porter leads the team and the tournament with a .636 average. The World Championship record is .667. Cuba registered three hits, which were all hit off of starter Sara Groenewegen, who threw the first three innings for Canada.

Canada opened the score right away in the first inning with two runs. Joey Lye led off with a single, Megan Timpf was hit by a pitch and Jennifer Yee also singled to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Kaleigh Rafter and grounder by Caitlin Lever then gave Canada an early lead.

After two scoreless innings, two more runs were added in the fourth at-bat. Caitlin Lever and Jennifer Gilbert (who had both singled) then respectively scored on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Erika Polidori.

A double by Caitlin Lever raised the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning, then two more Canadian runs followed in the seventh at-bat, thanks to a 2-run triple by Erika Polidori.

Cuba reached base for the first time in the first inning when Diamela Puentes singled with one out, but then the Canadian defense turned a double play on the following line drive. Cuba then got into scoring position in the second inning, but the runner was left behind on second base. In the third inning, at that moment trailing only 2-0, Cuba got its first two batters to reach base when Johandra Espinosa walked and Yilian Rondon singled. The two were in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt, but a strike out and pick-off then ended Cuba’s scoring chances.

The Cuban offense was retired in order from the fourth inning on, then got a final chance in the seventh when pinch-hitter Ludisleidis Napoles reached on an error. She was stranded, as a ground out ended the game.

W-Karissa Hovinga (2-0), L-Anisley Lopez (2-1).

Game 51: USA vs. Italy, 7-0 (5 inn.) [Box Score]

The United States remained unbeaten by winning 7-0 vs. Italy. This was the third consecutive game today that ended with a 7-0 score. It also resulted in the second no-hitter today, as USA pitchers Jackie Traina (4 innings) and Sara Nevins (1 inning) didn’t gave up any hits to Italy.

Traina, who has been named an All-American in all of her four seasons at the University of Alabama, struck out seven batters in the four innings she pitched. Nevins struck out the side in the fifth inning.

Team USA scored two runs in each of the first three innings. In the first at-bat, Raven Chavanne led off with a single, then scored on an one-out single by Lauren Gibson, who later scored herself on an error.

In the second inning, Kellie Fox hit an one-out inside the park home run. With two outs, Raven Chavanne singled and Kelsey Stewart doubled, then an error also accounted for the second run in this at-bat.

In the next at-bat, two more runs were scored. Amanda Chidester led off with her third home run of the tournament. Two years ago, she set a World Championship record with five home runs. She then also set a new record with 14 runs scored. After Chidester’s home run, Hallie Wilson tripled and scored on a single by Haylie McCleney.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, USA got the bases loaded with two outs, then Destinee Martinez hit a walk-off single, as it increased the lead to 7-0, enough to finish the game through the run-ahead rule.

Jackie Traina retired the first 10 batters she faced, then walked Elisa Grifagno with one out in the fourth inning. She would be the lone Italian runner in this game.

W-Jackie Traina (2-0), L-Mara Paucci (1-2).
HRs-Kellie Fox (USA) (1), Amanda Chidester (USA) (3)

Game 52: China vs. Russia, 8-1 (6 inn.) [Box Score]

China won 8-1 against Russia, who therefore was eliminated for the play-offs. With the win, China became the third team from Group A to qualify for the Championship Round.

China decided the game early with a 5-run rally in the first inning. The Asian squad had five base hits in this at-bat, four of them extra base hits. It all began with a lead-off triple by Jia Chen, followed by a double by Huan Li and RBI-single by Ying Lu. With two outs, Ruomeng Guo also tripled to bring in the third run. An error and a double by Jia Guo then lifted the lead to 5-0 moments later.

Russia got one run back in the third via a single by Tatiana Zhuchkova, but China answered witth two more runs in its third at-bat. The first was scored on a passed ball, the second on a single by Jingjing Yuan.

Trailing 7-1, Russia got a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning and sixth inning, but was unable to add more runs in this game.

China then reached the 7-run difference in the home of the sixth when Huan Li led off with a single and scored on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Qianwen Feng, therefore ending the game.

Lan Wang made her fifth start and sixth appearance for China. She struck out four batters in two innings, then was relieved by Lingling Jin in the third. The latter, who made her first pitching appearance of the tournament, became the winning pitcher.

W-Lingling Jin (1-0), L-Ekaterina Eronina (1-2).

Game 53: Chinese Taipei vs. Great Britain, 7-0 (5 inn.) [Box Score]

Chinese Taipei shut out Great Britain 7-0 and with that decided the outcome in Group B. With the win, the Asians qualified themselves for the play-offs, but also secured a spot for The Netherlands. In case of an eventual loss later in the day against Botswana, the Netherlands would end up in a three-way tie with the Dominican Republic and Italy, who were both defeated by the Dutch.

The first two innings remained scoreless, Chinese Taipei scored twice in the third at-bat. With one out, Hsiang Yun Wang walked and Pei Chun Lin bunt singled. The bases got loaded with two outs when Hui Wen Huang also walked, then two runs were scored on a following single by Hsueh Mei Lu.

A single by Hsiang Yun Wang brought in another run in the fourth and Taipei then rallied for four runs in the fifth inning to reach the run-ahead difference needed to end the game. With one out, Hui Wen Huang singled and Hsueh Mei Lu followed with a run scoring double. Lu was 3-for-3 today and also had three runs batted in. Miao Yi Chen added a single, then back-to-back doubles by Meng Ting Lai (one-run) and Yu Han Liu (2-run) increased the lead to 7-0 to end the game.

Hui Lin Chung started her fifth game for Taipei and threw her third complete game, striking out five and giving up seven hits. She improved her record to 4-1. The record for most victories in a World Championship is six. This was originally set in 1965 by Lorraine Woolley (Australia), then equaled later by Nancy Welborn (USA) and Yukiko Ueno (Japan). Carling Hare made her fifth start for Great Britain and fell to 0-5.

W-Hui Lin Chung (4-1), L-Carling Hare (0-5).

Game 54: Japan vs. Czech Republic, 7-0 (6 inn.) [Box Score]

Japan won 7-0 vs. the Czech Republic to register the fifth 7-0 final score in the first six games today. It also raised Japan’s record to 7-0. With the loss, the Czechs had to wait for the outcome of the New Zealand vs. Puerto Rico game (which was played after conclusion of this game) to learn if it had qualified for the play-offs.

Japan collected 12 base hits to raise its team batting average to a tournament best .387, leading the USA by only .004 points. Following these two teams in the top-5 are Australia (.375), Canada (.371) and the Netherlands (.284).

Japan opened the score in the first inning when Rei Nishiyama (one-out walk) and Eri Yamada (2-out double) scored on a triple by Yukiyo Mine.

The lead was doubled in the next inning. Haruna Sakamoto led off with a triple and scored on a following single by Rie Nagayoshi, who later scored herself on a single by Rei Nishiyama.

A sacrifice fly by Haruna Sakamoto made it a 5-0 score in the fifth inning and then the 7-run difference was reached in the sixth inning. With one out, pinch-hitter Sayaka Mori doubled, then back-to-back singles by Yuka Ichiguchi and Misato Kawano made it 7-0.

The Czechs had several base runners from the second through fifth inning, but was unable to score. Trailing 2-0, Lenka Spurna doubled with one out in the second inning and a hit batter led to another runner. The two advanced on a sacrifice bunt, but then were stranded. The Czechs also left runners on second and third base in the fifth.

W-Yamato Fujita (3-0), L-Jitka Horova (0-1).

Game 55: New Zealand vs. Puerto Rico, 3-1 [Box Score]

In the last game of Group A, New Zealand decided the qualification for the final team to qualify for the play-offs. By winning 3-1 vs. Puerto Rico, it was New Zealand itself who advanced to the Championship Round for the first time since 2002. A loss would have meant that the Czech Republic and Cuba would share fourth place. In that case, the Czechs would have advanced due to its head-to-head result against Cuba. And so, the play-off hopes ended for the Czechs, which registered historic first wins against China and Puerto Rico during this tournament. But with the win, New Zealand created a 3-way tie with the Czechs and Cuba. As each had won one game between them, the runs against tie-break got into effect, which was in favor of New Zealand.

New Zealand was out hit 6-5, but nevertheless took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Mikayla Werahiko then led off with a walk, advanced on a sac-bunt and an error, then scored on a single by Stacey Webber. Cassie Siataga ran for Webber and went on to score on a single by Lara Andrews to make it 2-0.

In the fifth inning, Puerto Rico appeared to turn the game its way. However, it scored only once and left the bases loaded. With one out, Aisha Figueroa was on base. She then stole second base and scored on a single by Dayanira Diaz to narrow the deficit to 2-1. Karla Claudio followed with another single, which led to a pitching change. Next, Sahvanna Jaquish was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a force out at home and ground out then spoiled the comeback chance for Puerto Rico. Earlier in the game, in the second inning, Puerto Rico also had left three runners behind.

New Zealand immediately added an insurance run in the home of the fifth when Ellie Cooper was hit by a pitch, moved on a sac-bunt and a single, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Katrina Nukunuku.

W-Megan Farrell (1-3), L-Jailynn Jackson (0-1), SV-Tyneesha Houkamau (1).

Game 56: Botswana vs. Netherlands, 0-12 (4 inn.) [Box Score]

In the final game of the preliminary round, host Netherlands shut out Botswana 12-0 to seal its qualification for the Championship Round. The Dutch finished in fourth place in Group B based on the head-to-head result against Chinese Taipei, with whom it ended in a tie. Taipei won that game and therefore finished in third place in this group.

Dutch pitcher Ginger de Weert dominated against Botswana and struck out ten batters. Her perfect game ended with two outs in the third inning when Pauline Tukisi lined single down the right field line to become the lone runner for the African country.

The Netherlands opened with three runs in the first inning, thanks to three errors and an RBI-single by Virginie Anneveld. A 5-run rally followed in the second inning. Two runs were then scored on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball. Virginie Anneveld added another RBI-single. She now leads the tournament with eleven base hits and leads the team with a .524 average.

Four runs were added in the third inning, which was highlighted by a 2-run triple by Britt Vonk, who later scored her third run in the game. She now leads the tournament with nine runs. The World Championship-record is 14, set in 2012 by Amanda Chidester (USA).

W-Ginger de Weert (1-0), L-Onneetse Seth (0-3).