On Wednesday the playoffs at the 12th Women’s Softball World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela were kicked off. Australia eliminated the last remaining European team in the tournament, the Netherlands, by a score of 3-2, sending the Dutch squad home with a seven-place finish. They will be tied with Taiwan, which got ousted 0-1 in eight innings by China. Japan and Team USA also celebrated wins. The Czech Republic and Great Britain already had to go after the preliminary round.
Results June 30:
Australia – Netherlands 3-2
NED 002 000 0 2 4 2 AUS 300 000 X 3 6 1
Australia scored three runs in the opening frame en route to a 3-2 win over the Dutch team, which answered with two runs in the third, but couldn’t score again afterwards. Stacie Porter and Jodie Bowering drove in the three Australian runs with singles. An error and a RBI infield single by Britt Vonk pushed the two runs for the Netherlands over the plate. Justine Smethurst allowed just four hits, two unearned runs and a walk in seven innings for the win. She struck out seven. Lindsey Meadows recovered after the rocky beginning and issued six hits, three runs and two bb in six frames on the mound.
Japan – Venezuela 2-0
VEN 000 000 0 0 3 1 JPN 000 200 0 2 2 0
Olympic champion Japan won a pitcher’s duel 2-0 against Venezuela. Ayumi Karino and Eri Yamada scored the two lone runs in the game in the fourth. Mika Someya dominated on the mound, allowing just three hits and two walks in seven scoreless innings. She struck out eight. Mariangee Bogado took the loss after six strong innings, in which she gave up two unearned runs on two hits and three bb.
Canada – USA 1-16 (5)
USA 404 17 16 15 0 CAN 001 00 1 3 1
Team USA crushed Canada 16-1 in five innings. Four-run rallies in the first and third decided things early. A seven-run fifth blew things wide open. Jennie Finch hit a homerun and drove in three. Jessica Mendoza collected four RBI in the game. Natasha Watley went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI. Monica Abbott gave up just one run on three hits, while striking out five for the win. Jenna Caira lasted just one out on the mound to take the loss.
Taiwan – China 0-1 (8)
CHN 000 000 01 1 8 0 TPE 000 000 00 0 4 0
China defeated arch rivals Taiwan 1-0 in eight nail-biting innings. Yuan Wang scored the lone run of the game in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by Guo Jia. Wang Lan received the win in relief. Lin Su Hua took the loss.
Schedule July 1:
- 1pm Venezuela – China
- 3pm Canada – Australia
- 5pm Japan – USA (winner qualifies for championship game)
- 7pm Venezuela/China – Canada/Australia