Thanks to a 1-0 eight-inning win by Taiwan over Cuba, the Netherlands qualified for the playoffs at the 12th Women’s Softball World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday. They lost their last preliminary round match 1-6 against Canada. As the fourth seed in Group A the Dutch team will take on the number three out of Group B, Australia, in the first round of the playoffs. They qualified for the playoffs for the fourth time in history and for the first time since 1994 in St. John’s, Canada. The other two European teams in the tournament, the Czech Republic and Great Britain, concluded the event with a loss to the US and an extra inning win over Argentina.
Results June 29:
Canada – Netherlands 6-1
NED 000 010 0 1 3 3 CAN 240 000 X 6 6 0
The Netherlands concluded the preliminary round with a 1-6 loss against Canada. The Maple Leafs decided the outcome early, as they put six runs on the board in the first two frames. Sheena Lawrick hit a solo homerun. Melanie Matthews scored twice. A solo shot by Solange Starrenburg accounted for the lone Dutch run in the fifth. Ashley Lanz allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings for the win. Rebecca Soumeru took the loss.
Great Britain – Argentina 2-1 (9)
ARG 000 000 001 1 2 1 GBR 000 000 002 2 4 0
Great Britain needed nine innings to beat Argentina 2-1. Caley Roberts and Kristi Yoshizawa drove in the decisive runs in the bottom of the second extra inning after the South Americans had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth. Stacie Townsend allowed just two hits going the distance, while striking out 15.
USA – Czech Republic 9-0 (5)
CZE 000 00 0 2 2 USA 601 2X 9 9 0
The Czech Republic had to settle for a 0-9 loss against Team USA in their last game in Caracas. Andrea Duran and Jennie Finch hit homeruns. Finch combined with Mary Alissa Haber to drive in six runs. On the mound Eileen Michelle Canney struck out seven in five scoreless two-hit innings for the win. Jana Vacikova took the loss. Katerina Dvorakova and Tereza Jakesova had the lone hits for the Czech team.
Other Results:
South Africa – Japan 0-10
Botswana – Australia 0-10
Dominican Republic – New Zealand 0-3
Cuba – Taiwan 0-1 (8)
Venezuela – China 5-2
Standings:
Group A:
- Japan 7-0
- Canada 6-1
- Taiwan 5-2
- Netherlands 4-3
- Cuba 3-4
- Great Britain 2-5
- Argentina 1-6
- South Africa 0-7
Group B:
- USA 7-0
- Venezuela 6-1
- Australia 5-2
- China 4-3
- Czech Republic 3-4
- New Zealand 2-5
- Dominican Republic 1-6
- Botswana 0-7