Min Ren homers, Xiaoyan He drives in go-ahead run in China’s key 5-4 win over the Netherlands

World No. 11 China won an electric game today against No. 10 Netherlands, 5-4, to remain undefeated in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group B in Valencia, Spain. Min Ren homered in the third and Xiaoyan He delivered a go-ahead RBI single for China, to overcome a three-run deficit against the European Champions.

Netherlands scored three in their third at bat, including a two-RBI single by Laura Wissink. Brenda Beers had scored the first run of the game on a bases loaded fielder’s choice.

China answered in the bottom half of the same inning, with an opposite field two-run homer by catcher Min Ren, to make it 3-2.

Eva Voortman left the game in the fourth inning, with two runners on and no outs, and her team leading 3-2. Marjolein Merkx came in in relief and retired two outs, before Jia Xu hit a single up the middle to knock in two runs and give China their first lead in the game. Voortman, who was responsible for both runners, pitched 3+ innings allowing three hits, three walks and four runs.

The Dutch squad had a great opportunity in the sixth, on a bases loaded situation and no outs, but only cashed in on a single by Maxime Van Dalen to tie the game. After that, the Chinese pitcher Lan Wang minimized the damage with a strikeout, a grounder and a pop up fly to maintain the 4-4 deadlock in the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the sixth, China jumped ahead again with an RBI double off the bat of Xiaoyan He to plate Zixuan Dong and give the lead again to the Asian team. Lan Wang retired the side in the top of the seventh to close the game. She was the winning pitcher in a two-inning outing.

The losing pitcher was Merkx, who worked three innings with three hits and one run.