Australia, China, Japan and USA still unbeaten

29/08/2006

BEIJING, CHINA – The third day of round robin play here today saw four teams come away with perfect 3-0 won-lost records in the ten-day tournament that ends on September 5. The International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship is also a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition as well as the sport’s Olympic Test Event.

BEIJING, CHINA – The third day of round robin play here today saw four teams come away with perfect 3-0 won-lost records in the ten-day tournament that ends on September 5. The International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship is also a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition as well as the sport’s Olympic Test Event.

An entertaining game took place this morning in the new softball stadium built for the 2008 Games. Japan held off Greece, 3-2, to up their record to 3-0. The game started out looking like it would be all Japan, as they scored three times in the top of the first inning and proceeded to hold the Greeks hitless until a Vanessa Czarnecki single in the bottom of the fifth. That went for naught, but in their next at-bat, the “Hellas” (1-2) scored twice but couldn’t complete the comeback as they went three-up and three-down in the bottom of the seventh.

Eri Yamada went 2-for-4 at the plate for Japan and scored a run and drove one in. Yukiko Ueno struck out eleven in picking up the win. Sarah Farnworth took the loss for Greece. Her cousin, catcher Stacey Farnworth, was injured twice in at-bats, with one ball catching her knee and the other on the fingers/knuckles, though she’ll have a day to rest tomorrow with the team having been scheduled to play Colombia, who withdrew from the tournament yesterday.

The Netherlands put up a big win this morning, topping Botswana, 11-0. The winners started out with a bang, getting nine runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by Daisy de Peinder’s two-RBI triple. The Netherlands added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning and the game was called after five innings due to the (international) run-ahead rule. Winning pitcher Kristi de Vries threw a no-hitter, striking out eight over the five innings. Saskia Kosterink went 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in another. Both teams are now 1-2.

Another team that’s 1-2 is DPR Korea, following their 2-0 loss today to China. All the game’s offense came on one swing of the bat. Left fielder Di Wu hit a 1-2 pitch over the center field fence that also scored Ai Zhang with two out in the bottom of the fourth inning. China held their Asian rival to just two hits, backed by Qi Li who pitched the first six innings. The victory keeps China’s record perfect (3-0) going into their game Wednesday against New Zealand.

Great Britain got their first notch in the win column today thanks to a 4-0 win over South Africa. The winners pounded out 15 hits, scoring single tallies in the third and seventh innings, plus two in the top of the fourth. Leah English had the eventual game-winning RBI with her bases-loaded single that scored Kristina Hoffart. South Africa tried to mount a late comeback, getting runners at second and third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Astrid Van Kesteren flew out and Candice Stephens struck out to end the game. South Africa is 0-3, but has only lost by an average score of 3-0.

The “game of the day” saw USA remain unbeaten, posting a 4-0 shutout of Canada. Cat Osterman pitched her second complete game in three days, striking out eleven and giving up just two hits. Outfielder Jessica Mendoza went 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a home run to lead off the seventh inning. Starting pitcher Robin Mackin went 5 1/3 innings for Canada. She was relieved by Kaila Holtz, while ace Lauren Bay watched from the dugout. Canada drops to 2-1.

Venezuela ’s record also went to 2-1 today, but they didn’t even have to play a game to do such. Colombia was their scheduled opponent Tuesday, but their withdrawal resulted in a forfeit that goes into the books for Venezuela as a 7-0 win.

Australia went to 3-0 tonight in a big way, beating Chinese Taipei, 9-0. The victory helps the Aussies keep pace with Japan in Pool B and with the schedule looking like it does, starts making Friday’s showdown between the two teams look even more intriguing, with both having the potential to still be unbeaten at that point. Chinese Taipei has lost to both and is now 1-2. With a victory over Colombia by way of forfeit coming up on Thursday, a win on Wednesday versus Venezuela would go a long way toward keeping Taipei’s hopes alive of pulling off a “Cinderella” story similar to that of four years ago when they won the bronze medal at the last ISF Women’s World Championship.

Tonight’s action closed with a 1-0 New Zealand win over Italy. The White Sox got the game’s only run in the top of the fourth inning. Melanie Hulme tripled and then scored on the next at-bat, giving New Zealand its second win in a row. Italy falls to 0-3. Each team had just two hits.