18/07/2024 3 Minute Read

USA advance to Women's Softball World Championship Final, will play the Canada-Japan winner

USA edged Japan 2-0 and remain undefeated. They will defend their World Title in the final on Saturday. Canada beat the Netherlands 6-3 on Larissa Franklin's three-run walk-off home run and will face Japan on Friday, July 19. The winner will play against USA. China beat Australia and Puerto Rico proved too good for hosts Italy in the Placement Round games.

World No. 1 USA and No. 5 Canada won on Day 1 of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 Super Round in Castions di Starda, Italy on Thursday. Defending champions USA defeated Olympic gold medallists Japan, while Canada came from behind to walk off the Netherlands.

With the win, USA advanced to Saturday's World Championship Final, despite what ever the result against the Netherlands on the final day of Super Round play on Friday. The winner between Canada and Japan on Friday will join USA in the final.

"Our goal is to win a gold medal, and we look forward to continuing to be challenged by the best of the best here at this tournament," commented US slugger Jessie Warren. "It will be whoever God intends it to be."

"I competed in four World Cups," said Canada's Larissa Franklyn, "and I believe these Finals are the most competitive I have seen. One through eight, they are all great teams."

The loser of the Canada v Japan game will face the Netherlands for the bronze medal.

The medal games are scheduled for Saturday, July 20, at 17:00 and 20:00 (local time).

Meanwhile, China and Puerto Rico started the Placement Round with extra-inning wins over Australia and Italy respectively.

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Canada-Netherlands 6-3

World No. 5 Canada walked it off again. Larissa Franklin's home run in the bottom of the seventh reversed the 3-2 lead the Dutch took within two outs from the win.

"They had just walked my friend [Callum Pilgrim]. I didn't know what to expect, but I was ready to crush the ball and help my team," Franklin commented after the game.

Sara Groenewegen started for Canada. The Netherlands gave the ball to Maxime Van Dalen.

Canada took the lead in the bottom of the first with two outs. Callum Pilgrim looked at the ball and drove the second pitch in the centre-field bleechers for a solo home run.

The Netherlands relieved Van Dalen with Marjolein Merkk in the bottom of the third.

Canada made it 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Caitlyn Wong reached on a two-out double to right field and scored on Grace Messmer's RBI single.

The Netherlands reversed the lead with a couple of two-out extra-base hits in the top of the sixth. Suka Van Gurp doubled to deep right field with runners at the corners to tie the game

Laura Wissing tripled in the gap to right-centre to give the Dutch a 3-2 lead.

Dawn Bodrug replaced Rackel and got out of the at-bat with some help from shortstop Janet Leung.

The Netherlands gave the ball to 18-year-old J'dah Girigoriae in the top of the seventh. Harshman got to the newcomer with a one-out triple to deep left field. Erika Polidori followed with a double to the gap in right-centre to tie the game.

The Netherlands intentionally walked Pilgrim. Larissa Franklin was all over Gririgorie's first pitch and turned it into a mammoth three-run walk-off home run.

"I'm so proud of this team. Nothing changes, we have just to play one inning at a time, one pitch at a time," commented Franklin postgame,

GAME REPORT

USA-Japan 2-0

Megan Faraimo limited Japan to three hits and Jessie Warren put the United States ahead with their first hit of the game, a triple off the wall in right field.

"I felt good and well prepared, she said after the game. "Having this opportunity meant the world to me."

Japan chose Miu Goto as the starting pitcher, while the United States handed the ball to Megan Faraimo.

Goto threw three perfect innings to get started. Faraimo retired the first eight batters, six on strikes, before allowing a two-out double to Yume Kiriishi in the bottom of the third.

She got out of the inning on a flyout.

USA reached base for the first time in the top of the fifth and took the lead. Goto hit Jocelyn Alo to lead off the inning. Jessie Warren drove the first pitch she saw off the wall in right field, scoring pinch runner Jesse Jefferson from first.

"I approached looking for a specific pitch to hit," commented Waren. "I knew she attacked me both sides of the plate in my first at bat, so I just adjusted from what I saw, got a good pitch to hit and it was in my favor."

Dejah Mulipola singled to left field, extending the US lead to 2-0.

Yukiko Ueno relieved Goto in the top of the sixth.

Japan thought they had their first run in the bottom of the sixth. Ishikawa reached on a two-out double and scored on a base hit by Hotaro Tsukamoto. USA challenged the play, and the on-field review caught Ishikawa leading off too early from second base. She was called the third out.

Faraimo wouldn't allow other scoring chances.

"I think we had a good mix. I watched videos [of Japan's hitters] until 2 am with my catcher, Dejah [Mulipola], and we knew when we had to go hard or throw changes. I couldn't have done this without my catcher."

GAME REPORT