Women’s Baseball World Cup: USA beat Venezuela in electric game, easy day for Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico

USA beat, 3-1, Venezuela in the best game played so far in the Women’s Baseball World Cup. Great defensive plays made the seven innings electric. The third USA run came on a gigantic home run by Megan Baltzell. According to Flight Scope, WBSC stats partner for this World Cup, the ball travelled 363 feet (110.6 meters) and had an exit velocity of 95.8 miles per hour (or 154.1 kilometers).
The hosts remain undefeated and will cruise to the super round.

After Venezuela center fielder Leonela Perez caught a deep fly by Kelsie Whitmore with her back against the wall to end the first, the USA got on the scoreboard in the second. Michelle Cobb walked and stole second, then she reached third on a base hit by Amanda Gianelloni. With two outs, Jade Cortarez singled to center and scored both runners.

Venezuela cut the gap to one in the bottom half of the frame. USA starter Martina Sementelli hit Osmari Garcia to get started. USA middle infield manufactured a fine double play on a slow roller by Yusneiby Acacio, but Venezuela didn’t give up. Migreily Angulo and Yohelis Colina reached on back to back singles. Leonela Reyes drove the second offer by Sementelli all the way to the fence in dead center, for a very deep single. Angulo scored and Colina advanced to third. Venezuela tried to score on a double steal, but Colina became the third out at home.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Yusneiby Acacio singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sementelli got Migreily Angulo to ground out to shortstop.
Colina got in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth with no outs. She singled, stole second but could not advance beyond. Venezuela couldn’t get the ball out of the infield.

A couple of outstanding plays in left field, by Migreily Angulo and by shortstop Sor Brito, prevented USA from scoring in the sixth, but the hosts added an insurance run on a moon shot by Megan Baltzell. It was the first home run in the tournament.

Megan Meidlinger took over for Sementelli in the bottom of the seventh. She got started walking Angulo, but received some relevant help from her defense. Yohelis Colina got to her second pitch with a line drive, only to find a great diving catch at second by Amanda Gianelloni. As Gianelloni doubled up Angulo with the throw to first, collecting the third double play of the day for the USA, the game headed to the end.

Chinese Taipei outscored, 13-0, Korea and recorded the second win in the tournament.

Korea starter Lee Jihe couldn’t make it out of a first inning that was plagued by a couple of defensive errors and a pair of walks. Chinese Taipei added a double by Shen Chia Wen and scored five. Won Hyereon came out of the bullpen to record the third out.

Shen Chia Wen also got to Won and added a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second and scored herself on a base hit by Tseng Chi.

Chinese Taipei cut it short with a four-run fourth inning. Shen and Huang Chiao Yun led Chinese Taipei offense with three RBIs. Hu Ching Wen pitched three inning and Liang Yung Chi took over for the final two.

Puerto Rico scored in each at bat and defeated The Netherlands 16-1 in five innings.

Both team scored in their first at bat. In the top of the first Esther Maliepaard walked, stole second and third and scored the go ahead run for The Netherlands on a throwing error.
Luz Feliciano (walk) tied it for Puerto Rico on a wild pitch and a couple of ground outs.

Puerto Rico broke the score open to 8-1 in the second against Maud Werkman, who gave up six hits, including RBI doubles by Lisandra Berrios and Diamilette Quiles. To get out of the inning, The Netherlands had to brin in reliever Ciska Welboren.

The Dutch used three more pitchers, who got hardly any assistance by defense. Angelis Rivera picked the win for Puerto Rico going four innings and allowing only a hit.