WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2024 Group C - Day 4: Morgan Reimer perfect game sets up final between Canada and undefeated USA; Mexico vs Australia in elimination game
With the completion of the round robin Opening Round, the Play-Offs are set on Monday with At Ireland playing the Philippines for fifth place before Australia and Mexico clash in a win-or-go-home game. USA and Canada will face off with a ticket to the Finals 2025 at stake with the loser playing against the winner of the Australia vs Mexico game with the second ticket to the Finals 2025 on the line.
Definition day at The Village Dallas on Day 4 at the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2024 Group C saw Morgan Reimel pitch a perfect game in Canada's 2-0 win against Australia while Mexico defeated Australia, 2-0, with a clutch two-run single by Clarissa Mejia. In the following game, Mexico needed only five innings to claim a 9-0 victory against Ireland before USA beat the Philippines in five innings to sweep the Opening Round.
With Reimel's historic performance, Canada earned their fourth win in the tournament and clinched second place in the standings. USA secured the No. 1 spot with a 5-0 record. With their two wins on Sunday, Mexico (3-2) secured third place while Australia (2-3) finished fourth.
Reimer was named our Player of the Day after pitching a perfect game. She went seven-innings with 14 strikeouts against Australia to clinch second place for Canada in the Opening Round.
With the completion of the round robin Opening Round, the WBSC announced the schedule for Monday's Play-Offs. At 9:30 am, Ireland will take on the Philippines, playing for fifth place in Group C. At 12:30 pm, Australia and Mexico will clash in a win-or-go-home game, with the loser being eliminated from contention for next year's Finals.
USA and Canada, first and second in the Opening Round, will face off at 3:30 pm with a ticket to the Finals 2025 at stake. The loser of this game will play against the winner of the Australia vs Mexico game at 6:30 pm, with the second ticket to the Finals 2025 on the line.
History was made at The Village Dallas with Canadian right hander Morgan Reimer pitching a seven-inning, 14-strikeout perfect game against Australia to clinch second place in the Opening Round. Canada beat the Aussies, 2-0.
Reimer used 87 pitches, 63 of them for strikes, to complete her feat. She was accurate from the first pitch, getting ahead in the count and hitting her spots consistently with all her pitches.
“I was just super excited for us to get that win and advance us to the Play-Offs,” said Reimer after the game. “I really just trusted our coach and her calling and my catcher and our defence and we had a couple clutch plays to help us win.”
Asked about her thoughts about going into that last inning, she said: “I just kept going with the game plan and continued to trust the defence.”
It was an exciting pitching duel, with Jayda Lorigan pitched a really good game for Australia. She also went the distance giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out three and walking one.
The key offensive play of the day was a two-run triple off the bat of Avery Tucker in the top of the fifth, scoring Canada's two runs of the game. With runners on first and second and two outs, she sent a 1-1 pitch to the left field corner for a clutch triple to give her team a 2-0 lead. These were the only two runs of the game.
Canada secured the second place in the Opening Round and will play USA on Monday with a ticket to the Finals 2025 at stake.
Mexico earned their second win of the tournament behind a shutout performance by Lilianna Acosta and Jenny Robledo. The Mexicans defeated Australia, 2-0, and evened their record at two.
Acosta pitched a six-inning masterpiece allowing four hits while striking out three and walking two. She earned the win. Robledo retired a perfect seventh inning to get the save.
Mexico's only two runs of the game were scored in the bottom of the third. With two runners in scoring position, Clarissa Mejia hit a line drive single up the middle to give her team a 2-0 lead.
For the second consecutive game in the day Australia failed to score a run, being shutout by Canada and Mexico on Sunday.
With the win, Mexico improved their record to 2-2, while Australia ended the Opening Round with 2-3.
Abril Gomez pitched five scoreless innings in Mexico's 9-0 win against Ireland to conclude their participation in the Opening Round. Gomez surrendered four hits and two walks against four strikeouts.
Mexico's lead-off hitter Natalia Rodarte went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, while Karina Ibarra went also 2-for-2, with two RBIs and one runs scored. Lilianna Acosta racked up three RBIs.
With this win, Mexico finished the Opening Round with a 3-2 record in third position, leaving Australia fourth. Both teams will meet again on Monday in an elimination game.
USA sent three pitchers into the circle to complete five innings of no-hit ball in a 7-0 win against the Philippines, in the last game of the Group C round robin.
Addisen Fisher went two innings striking out three against one walk. Alexa Hames followed her to pitch the third and fourth, racking up five strikeouts. Finally, Cameryn Harrison tossed one inning, retiring two via strikeouts.
Ella McDowell went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in, while Harlie Chism also went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored.
With the win USA finished the Opening Round undefeated, while Philippines closed with a 1-4 record in fifth place.
Bottom 5th - USA add two more to the board and finish the game. Payton Westra and Harley Chism crossed the plate for the hosts.
Bottom 2nd - Four runs on four hits for USA, including RBI knocks by Townsen Thomas, Ella McDowell and Sofia Mujica. USA is ahead of Philippines, 5-0.
Bottom 1st - A pair of defensive errors by the Philippines shortstop Mylia Perez allowed USA to score one run on one hit. The hosts take the lead in the game.
Preview - Game 15 of the Opening Round will see USA taking on Philippines closing the first phase of the competition. USA looking to sweep the Opening Round, while Philippines aiming for the second win in the competition. They played each other for the last time in this competition in 1995 in Normal, Illinois, USA, with a win for the hosts.
Bottom 4th - Mexico score four runs on three hits to increase their lead to 9-0. They are three outs away from finishing this game by the run ahead rule.
Bottom 2nd - Mexico add two more on a sac fly by Ana Paula Oquita and a run-producing double by Karina Rodriguez, her second RBI of the game. Mexico lead 5-0.
Bottom 1st - Mexico put the first five batters on base, including an RBI single by Karina Rodriguez and a two-run ground-rule double by Lilianna Acosta to give Mexico a 3-0 lead. Ireland pitcher Cameron Kelly then caught a line-drive comebacker and turned it into a double play.
Starting pitchers: Cameron Kelly (IRL) - Abril Gomez (MEX)
Preview - The Mexicans also have a doubleheader on Sunday. They will close their Opening Round campaign against Ireland at 3:30pm. They faced off in the Opening Round of the 2017 World Cup in Clearwater. Mexico claimed the victory, 8-0.
Bottom 5th - With a runner on third and one out, Ana Paula Oquita bunted on a suicide squeeze, but a perfect defensive play by Indy Munro threw Izel Avalos out at home to keep Mexico from scoring another run. The game is still 2-0 for Mexico.
Top 5th - Aryanna Salazar robs a game-tying extrabase hit to Rhiannon Smith to end the inning with a marvellous leaping catch. The game is still 2-0 for Mexico.
Bottom 3rd - Clarissa Mejia gives Mexico the lead. With two runners in scoring position, Mejia drove them in with a single up the middle to put Mexico in front, 2-0.
Preview - The second game today, which completes Australia doubleheader today, will see the green and gold squad taking on Mexico at 12:30. They also faced for the last time in 2019 in Irvine, for the Super Round of that World Cup. It was a 5-1 triumph for Mexico.
Top 5th - Canada take the lead with a clutch two-run triple by Avery Tucker. Chantall Carriere walked to reach first, and moved tos second on a single by Kenzie Hess. Then Tucker connected an outside corner pitch and sent it to the left field corner to give Canada a two-run lead.
We have a strong pitching duel here after four complete innings. Jayda Lorigan has struck out one while giving up two hits for Australia; while Morgan Reimer has been impressive, striking out eight opponents with no hits and runs allowed.
Starting pitchers: Morgan Reimer (CAN) - Jayda Lorigan (AUS)
Preview - At 9:30am, Canada and Australia will have a critical meeting at The Village Dallas. A win for Canada represent to secure the second place in the Oopening Round. Australia, who have a doubleheader today, a win will clinch their Play-Offs berth, keeping their chances alive for a second place finish. The two softball superpowers will play again at this level after the 2019 Bronze Medal Game in Irvine, USA, with a narrow 5-4 victory for the Canadians to win their first-ever medal.
