Goto shines as Japan beats Canada in five

Miu Goto was dominant from the circle with a 2-hit shutout and helped her own cause with an RBI double in the first inning to propel Japan to the fifth win in the Super Round. The Asian champion defeated Canada, 7-0, and remain undefeated in the tournament.

Japan jumped ahead in the score in the bottom of the first inning. The first run of the game was scored by Rino Setoguchi from third on a grounder to shortstop; and one out later Goto plated Akari Yamamoto with a long double to left field.

Miu Goto RBI double 🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/caELAA58jJ

— WBSC #U19SoftballWC (@WBSCsoftball) August 15, 2019

After the first inning, Canadian starter Samantha Ryan did a good job from the circle putting up three consecutive zeros. However, in the bottom of the fifth Japan took advantage of a bad defensive decision to clinch the win by run difference.

With one out and runners on first and second Setoguchi hit a grounder to first, Nicole Rivait gloved it and tried to get the runner on third (instead of getting the second out easily at first), but Shuri Kasahara beat the throw leaving the bases loaded with one out. Then Kasahara scored on a grounder to short stop, beating again the throw at home plate. With the bases loaded Haruka Sumitami hit a 2-RBI double and Yamamoto scored on an error in the same plate. Then Chiharu Shiraishi hit a walk-off triple to right field to finish the game.

Japan collected the fifth win of the Super Round and almost secured his spot in the final. Canada is now 2-2.