31/07/2024 4 Minute Read

Japan, USA stay on top of WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals after Day 3

The United States muscled their way to a dominant 13-4 win over Canada, powered by two-run homers from Alex Hugo and Denae Benites. Japan asserted their strength with an 11-0 victory over Venezuela in five innings. Meanwhile, Mexico rallied with four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to secure a 9-3 win over Chinese Taipei.

World No. 1 Japan and No. 4 USA will enter Day 4 of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024, presented by CARNEXT with a 3-0 record, making them the clear favourites for the World Championship Final at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Canada.

No. 3 Venezuela, No. 5 Mexico and No. 7 Canada, each with a 1-2 record, are now primarily vying for a spot in the bronze medal game.

On Tuesday, Japan and USA turned Day 3 into a show of strength against Venezuela and Canada. Japan powered to an 11-0 victory over Venezuela in five innings while USA muscled their way to a dominant 13-4 win over Canada, led by two-run homers from Alex Hugo and Denae Benites.

Meanwhile, Mexico rallied with four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to secure a 9-3 win over Chinese Taipei. The World No. 2 are winless so far, thus eliminated from the Medal Round race.

Tournament Links

USA-Canada 13-4

World No. 4 USA outhit and outscored No. 5 Canada, with Alex Hugo and Denae Benites providing an early lead through two-run homers in the first and third innings. Olivia Pichardo limited Canada to just two hits over four innings.

The United States selected Olivia Pichardo to start the game, while Canada entrusted the ball to Allison Schroder.

Alex Hugo put USA ahead with a two-run home run after a duel with Schroder, driving the ninth pitch beyond the wall in dead centre.

Canada got on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Zoe Hicks doubled, advanced to third on a balk, and scored when Emily Baxter grounded out to second.

USA extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom half of the frame. Ashton Lansdell took Schroder deep enough to score Jillian Albayati from third on a sacrifice fly.

Canada allowed the fourth USA run in the bottom of the third on two wild pitches and an error. Denae Benites made them pay a more brutal price, homering down the left-field line to break the score open to 6-1.

USA scored their seventh run without a hit. Schroder left with the bases loaded and no one out in the bottom of the fourth.

Canada handed the ball to Amy Johnson, but the reliever couldn't stop the US lineup. Remy Schaber hit a two-RBI single, making it 9-1, and Jillian Albayati batted in the tenth run with a sacrifice fly.

USA went to the bullpen in the top of the fifth, and Canada added three runs, thriving on a wild start by Cody Eckert. Albayati took over to get out of the inning.

Canada needed another bullpen move in the bottom half of the frame when Johnson allowed one run on a balk. Backup shortstop Kate Blunt followed with a two-RBI double. Ela Day-Bédard got the hosts out of the inning.

Both teams went scoreless for the rest of the night.

GAME REPORT

Japan-Venezuela 11-0

World No. 1 Japan needed just five innings to outscore Venezuela by the run-difference rule.

Akino Tanaka took the mound for Japan, while Venezuela handed the ball to Abril Amaro.

Miwa Naraoka gave Japan the lead in the bottom of the first, bringing home Iori Miura with a two-out RBI single.

Venezuela had runners at second and first with no outs in the top of the second. Tanaka got the first two outs on strikes and ended the inning by getting Stephany Suarez to fly out to centre.

Japan extended their lead to 3-0 when Iori Miura hit a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second.

They added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Miu Shiraishi, which sent Amaro to the showers.

Reliever Maria Marcano walked the bases loaded, then gave up back-to-back singles to Nanako Hanabusa and Miura, making it a 6-0 game. Marcano allowed one more run on back-to-back walks before being replaced by Ruclaireth Tovar, who got the inning-ending out on a pop fly to second.

Japan continued to dominate in the bottom of the fourth. Shiraishi hit a two-RBI single, followed by an RBI single from pinch-hitter Ayaka Osado. The eleventh run scored when Haruna Tadano grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Yuna Tsuchiya took the mound for Japan in the top of the fifth and kept Venezuela scoreless, ending the game on the run-difference rule. Shortstop Kae Iwami posted the play of the day.

GAME REPORT

Mexico-Chinese Taipei 9-3

World No. 5 Mexico stayed in the Medal Round race with a win over No. 2 Chinese Taipei, which is now eliminated. Chinese Taipei took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Mexico reversed it with back-to-back four-run rallies.

Chiao Yun Huang took the mound for Chinese Taipei, while Mexico gave the ball to Dani Leal.

Mexico got started with a pair of base hits. Rosa Del Castillo grounded into a double play, but Samaria Benitez scored the first run of the game from third.

The first two Chinese Taipei batters also reached on singles. They advanced to third and second on a sacrifice bunt, and Chi Fen Chen singled to tie the game.

After wasting a pair of runners at third, Chinese Taipei took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Leal left with runners at the corners and one out. Shi-Yun Lee squeezed the run home on reliever Narda Andrade's second pitch. Mexico got out of the inning thanks to shortstop Samaria Benitez.

Mexico reversed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Three consecutive bunts loaded the bases, and Marlen Lagunes gave Mexico the lead with a two-RBI single. The fourth run scored on Gabriela Sandoval's safety squeeze, and Edith De Leija made it a 5-2 game with an RBI double.

Chinese Taipei bunted the runners to third and second with two outs in the top of the sixth. Yu-Chuan Tu worked the count full, then popped to the catcher to end the at-bat.

Mexico broke the score open in the bottom of the sixth. They added a run on a Marcela Diaz two-out RBI double and extended the lead to 9-2 on a two-run Marlen Lagunes dinger to left field, the first home run of the tournament.

Chinese Taipei scored their third run in the top of the seventh.