Venezuela win extra-inning thriller with Cuba, will compete with Puerto Rico for third spot in Finals 2024

When Venezuela jumped to a quick 4-0 lead, it looked like the game could roll to its end with no emotions. The impression was wrong. Cuba came back to tie it three times. Starting pitcher Yanet Cruz used 135 pitches to go 7.1 innings.

World No. 5 Venezuela beat No. 7 Cuba, 8-7, on a bunt by Srishna Arciniega in the bottom of the eighth. Mariana Natera threw 112 pitches to go eight innings and earn the win.

Venezuela took the lead in the bottom of the first. Cuba's starter, Yanet Cruz, walked catcher Mariana Valdez with one out. Left fielder Esquia Rengel drove the fourth pitch into the gap to right centre for an RBI triple. She scored the second run on first base Frandelis Garcia's base hit.

Cruz walked Ruclaireth Tovar to lead off the bottom of the second. Right fielder Abril Marin singled to bring Tovar to third. A run scored on an awkward fielder's choice when a pop by second base Marlyn Yendez fell in front of the right fielder, and Glenda Dunet got the force out at second. With two outs and the runners at the corners, catcher Mariana Valdez singled up the middle to make it 4-0. Dayanna Batista lined out Rengel at second to end the at-bat.

Cuba tied the game in the top of the third. Venezuelan starter Mariana Natera hit Eleyenni Estupinan with one out in the top of the third. Dayanna Batista singled and brought Estupinan to second. The bases loaded on a fielding error. Venezuela got the second out at the plate, but first base Libia Duarte hit a two-RBI single to left field to cut the gap to 4-2. A third run scored on a double steal, and Cuba tied the game on a throwing error.

Venezuela took back the lead in the bottom half of the frame. With Frandelis Garcia at third and two outs, Abril beat shortstop Dayanni Velasquez's throw to first for an RBI single.

Cuba tied the game again in the top of the sixth. Yordanka Rodriguez singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a base hit by Dayana Ramirez. Estupinan squeezed in the run with a bunt to pitcher.

Venezuela scored another go-ahead run in the bottom half of the frame. Abril tripled to left field and scored on a wild pitch. They added a run on three consecutive hits by Srishna Arciniega, Mariana Valdez and Esquia Rengel.

Yusnavi Bonne led off the seventh with a single. Natera walked Glenda Dunet, and the runners advanced to third and second on a wild pitch. Libia Duarte hit a two-RBI single to tie the game.

Cuba failed to score in the top of the eighth despite successfully advancing the tie-break runners on a bunt.

Pinch hitter Laureanne Vasquez bunted for the hit to lead off the bottom half of the first extra inning. Cruz struck out Valentina Linares for the first out. Leadoff hitter Srishna Arciniega became the match-winner. Shepushed a bunt to first on the first pitch she saw to score Tovar from third.

Venezuela (2-2) will face No. 9 Puerto Rico at 14:30 (local time) on Sunday, 17 September, in what has became a one-game playoff for a spot in the IX Women's Baseball World Cup Final Stage 2024. Cuba (1-3) will finish their Group B run against No. 1 Japan in the last game of the tournament.