Top-10 WBSC Softball World Cup Plays of the Year: No. 6 Janet Leung (Canada)

Welcome back to the WBSC Top-10 Softball Plays of the Year, a review of the best 10 plays in the WBSC Softball World Cups in 2023. At No. 6, Canada's shortstop Janet Leung showed up her defensive skills in Castions di Strada, Italy, on Day 3 of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group C, to help her team earning a historic win over Japan. 

It's 24 July and Japan was undefeated after two days of play, while Canada had a 2-1 record after losing to Italy the night before, 6-1. 

With Canada leading 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Leung made an impressive backhanded play on a hard-hit one-hopper in the hole off the bat of Nodoka Harada and made the throw across the diamond for the first out of the inning.  

The play helped Canada to win the game, 6-5. It was the first time Canada beat Japan in a Women’s Softball World Cup or an Olympic Games since Athens 2004 Olympics, when they beat the Japanese team, 1-0, in eight innings.

WBSC Softball World Cup Plays of the Year

• No. 10 Samantha Alekman (USA) - U-15 Women's Softball World Cup
• No. 9 Angelu Gabriel (Philippines) - Women's Softball World Cup Group C
• No. 8 Uxua Modrego (Spain) - Women's Softball World Cup Group B
• No. 7 Sebastian Hassell (Venezuela) - U-18 Men's Softball World Cup