Chinese Taipei opened Group D of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup with a late-inning come from behind win over New Zealand, 7-6. The team from Oceania took the lead three times in the game, and was only one out away from victory, but couldn’t hold the lead.
New Zealand scored first in the bottom of the second with a bases-clearing double by leadoff hitter Beth Reid to the right-field line.
Chinese Taipei answered in the top of the third with another big extra-base hit to tie the game, a 2-RBI triple by An-Hsin Chen to the left field corner. Previously, Meng-Chi Lin scored the first run of her team on a passed ball.
Nez Zealand retook the lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI single by Brooklyn Temu, to make it 4-3. And one inning later added one more on a throwing error by catcher Chia-Hsuan Lin, trying to put out a runner on first, allowing Mikayla Lewin round the bases.
However, the Asian team came back to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Lin singled to lead off the inning and scored one out later on a triple by leadoff hitter Chia-Yun Chang to left field. She scored one pitch later on a grounder to the pitcher.
For the third time in the game, New Zealand took the lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Reid.
In the top of the seventh Nikita Hiroki retired the first two batters she faced, but couldn’t close the door. She walked Tsai-Ching Chiu and then surrendered a triple to Chia-Yu Chang to tie the game, and the winning RBI single to Ting-En Chiang, that gave Chinese Taipei the first and definitive lead in the game.
Ching-Yu Chen took the win in 3.1 innings of play, allowing 3 hits, 3 runs and 2 walks, with 1 strikeout.
Japan scored in each of their four offensive innings to take an 8-1 win over South Africa in Group B’s opening game. Shuri Kasahara produced 3 runs on 2 hits, while Mio Sakamoto, Chise Yamashita and Remi Shingu combined to pitch a 1-hit game. Yamashita took the win in 3 innings of work, with 1 hit, 1 run and 2 strikeouts.
The only run for South Africa was scored by Melissa Savage in the top of the second inning, after reaching with the only South African hit in the game.
New Zealand scored at least one run in six of its seven at bats, supporting a great pitching performance by Brooke Glassie to defeat Netherlands, 7-0. The right hander pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only 2 hits and 3 walks in seven innings.
Pallas Potter put New Zealand on the board in the top of the first inning. The first baseman hit a solo homer to center field off Romy Van der Ham to put her team in front, 1-0.
After an unproductive second inning, New Zealand scored one run in the next four frames, finishing with two runs in the seventh, including an RBI triple by Beth Reid.
New Zealand finished the second day of the World Cup with a 1-1 record, and tomorrow will close Group D against Canada. Netherlands (0-2) will take on Chinese Taipei
