23/10/2023 4 Minute Read

U-15 Women's Softball World Cup Day 3: Japan, USA keep perfect records; Mexico, Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico pick up third victories

Japan and USA have kept their perfect record with three straight victories. Mexico, Chinese Taipei and Puerto Rico improved their records to 3-1. The race for the top three spots and a spot in the Super Round will go down to the final day of the Opening Round on Tuesday.

The race for the Super Round tickets at the WBSC U-15 Women's Softball World Cup heated up on Monday with hosts Japan and USA taking pole position in their respective groups on Day 3 on the tournament with comprehensive victories against Italy and Puerto Rico respectively.

The world No. 2 and No. 1 are the only unbeaten sides with one day of the Opening Round remaining on Tuesday. Chinese Taipei have won three consecutive games - including two games against Peru and New Zealand on Monday - leaving them tied with Mexico in Group A with a 3-1 win-loss record. Puerto Rico have a similar record in Group B to sit alone in second place.

Mexico played one match in Group A on Monday, beating New Zealand; while Puerto Rico played two and had split results - a loss to USA and a victory over the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Brazil and Czechia earned forfeit wins in Group B over Uganda.

With one day left in the Opening Round, Japan (3-0), Mexico (3-1), Chinese Taipei (3-1) and Italy (1-2) are still chasing the top three spots in Group A, which will see them advance to the Super Round.

In Group B, USA (3-0), Puerto Rico (3-1), Czech Republic (2-2), Philippines (2-2) and Brazil (1-2) are in contention for the Super Round.

Day 3 Results

Peru-Chinese Taipei	0-7	BOX SCORE
Mexico-New Zealand	7-1	BOX SCORE
Japan-Italy	12-0	BOX SCORE
New Zealand-Chinese Taipei	0-8	BOX SCORE
USA-Puerto Rico	6-0	BOX SCORE
Philippines-Puerto Rico	1-8	BOX SCORE

Peru v Chinese Taipei 0-7

Chinese Taipei secured their second win in the tournament with a 7-0 five-inning finish against Peru, opening the games in Setagaya on Day 3.

Chinese Taipei started with a four-run first inning, jumpstarted by Ruo-Xin Xu's triple to left and topped by Yen-Ting Chiu's single.

A two-run second inning followed, as Xu was significant in the offensive sequence, hitting a single to right field to plate Yi-Jie Chuang, before Pei-Wun Wu singled to right field, allowing Xu to cross home plate.

In the fifth inning, Xu once again singled to right to push Chuang for the final run, providing all the offence Chinese Taipei needed to take the win.

Mexico v New Zealand 7-1

Mexico were on to their third win in the tournament against New Zealand with a 7-1 scoreline, improving their record to 3-1.

A sacrifice fly for Izarely Almaguer put Mexico first on the board with one run in the top of the first.

Mexico extended their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third with Aryanna Salazar's run initiated by Savannah Salazar's single. Salazar and Karina Rodriguez Ibarra capitalised off a drop fly, completing two runs.

Mexico added two more runs, before New Zealand finally got to score their first run and trail 6-1 in the fourth inning. Mexico kept their pace and logged another run in the fifth to put the margin back to six.

Mexico forced the three outs in the bottom of the seventh to finalise their game victory.

Japan v Italy 12-0

Japan enjoy a three-game winning start, following a 12-0 win over Italy at Setagaya on Monday morning to stay unbeaten in the tournament.

Japan operated their offence at will, hitting two singles before the third single from Saki Anraku pushed Lilia Lewis and Yumeka Kagen to home plate for the two runs in the top of the first. Anraku later scored the run on a wild pitch to put Japan up 3-0.

Japan started again on their offence in the top of the fourth with a triple from Lewis to get Hana Nakanishi scoring the fourth run.

Even with the defensive and pitching changes the Italians implemented after the play, they were not able to stop Rachika Sakuragi from executing a single and setting up Lewis for another run to update the score to 5-0.

Japan sneaked in another run in the fifth for a 6-0 lead, then scored another two in the sixth, prompting Italy to make some changes on their defence. Japan eluded that and scored four more off Risora Kajime's double and Lewis' single, doubling their earlier score to 12-0.

New Zealand v Chinese Taipei 0-8

Chinese Taipei have won their third consecutive game, following their 8-0 victory against New Zealand. Chinese Taipei lost to hosts Japan on opening day.

Chinese Taipei put two runs up on the board in the bottom of the second inning, as Pei-Wun Wu and Yi-Hsuan Tien crossed the plate after wild pitches.

They intensified their offence in the next stanza by producing five runs. A wild pitch put Zeng Kai-Hua Zeng and Yu-ling Wu to scoring position. Yi-Zhen Zhuang singled to advance Zeng and Yu to home plate for the first two runs.

Zhuang scored the next run on a stolen base with Wu in tow to second base. Wu eventually scored a run on an error, until the USA scoring closed with Tien touching home plate on a Yi-Jie Chuang single. They squeezed in another run in the bottom of the fourth before the game closed in the fifth.

USA v Puerto Rico 6-0

Prior to the game, USA and Puerto Rico had an undefeated record, and the former's 6-0 win over the latter gave them solo leadership in Group B.

USA's offence started on an Aspen Boulware walk and later converted into the team's first run on an RBI single in the middle by Sofia Hernandez.

USA struck again in the top of the second with a solo homer to deep left by Anabela Abdullah to increase the lead to 2-0. Puerto Rico managed to stop the momentum as they struck out the next three USA batters.

The next three frames went silent as both sides managed the batters well to keep each frame scoreless. Boulware disrupted the peace with a solo homer to deep right field to give USA a 3-0 edge.

USA tacked on their final three runs on a ground out, a single and a double to the left field to stay undefeated in Group B.

Philippines v Puerto Rico 1-8

Puerto Rico closed their day with a bounce back win on the Philippines 8-1, updating their win-loss card to 3-1.

It was a comprehensive journey to home plate for Yamilette Cordova as she walked, moved to the next two bases on a sacrifice bunt and a single, and then scored on a sacrifice fly to give Puerto Rico a 1-0 edge.

The Puerto Ricans kept the Filipinos scoreless in the next two innings, while they kept their offence going by logging a run in the second and two in the third. Cordova, Nia Melendez and Logan Bester were key in those plays.

The Philippines finally broke their silence in the top of the fourth, as Tifhanie Lorenzo scored their first run off Ana Marie Piza's single.

Puerto Rico's offence exploded after that, completing four runs that closed the game in five innings.