Canada walk off Netherlands, stay in race for World Championship Final

World No. 5 Canada came from behind to walk off No. 8 Netherlands 6-3 on Thursday in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup in Castions di Strada in Italy.

The Dutch took a 3-2 lead and were within two outs of the win, but Larissa Franklin's three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Canada a dramatic win.

"I didn't know what to expect," commented Franklin after the game. "They had just walked my friend (Callum Pilgrim), so I was ready to crush the ball and help the team."

The home run kept Canada in the race for the World Championship Final

"Nothing changes," commented Franklin. "We still need to play one inning at a time, one pitch at a time."

Canada took the lead in the bottom of the first with two outs. Callum Pilgrim looked at a ball, then drove the second pitch from Dutch starter Maxime Van Dalen in the centre-field bleachers for a solo home run.

Britt Vonk got the first Dutch hit against Canada's starter Sara Groenewegen, a one-out single in the top of the third. Vonk became the second out for leaving first base early while trying to steal second. Brenda Beers followed with a single, but the at-bat ended on a Van Dalen's grounder.

In the bottom of the third Marjolein Merkk relieved Van Dalen.

Canada added a run in the bottom of the fourth. Caitlyn Wong reached on a two-out double to right field and scored on Grace Messmer's RBI single. Beers got the Netherlands out of the inning with a fine running catch on Zoe Hick's deep fly.

Kelsey Harshman reached on a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth. A good play at first by Van Dalen on Erika Polidori's hard grounder stopped the potential rally, and the inning ended on Pilgrim's fly to left field.

Morgan Rackel took over for Groenewegen in the top of the sixth. She allowed Beers a one-out base hit. Pilgrim had to go far to catch Van Dalen's fly to right field. Beers reached second on the out. Harshman could only stop Dinet Oosting's hard grounder to the right side. Suka Van Gurp stepped to the plate with runners at the corners and smashed the fourth pitch she saw in the corner to right field for a two-RBI double that tied the game.

Laura Wissink worked the count to 1-1, then hit a bullet in the gap to right-centre for a one-RBI triple that put the Netherlands ahead, 3-2.

Dawn Bodrug replaced Rackel and got out of the at-bat with some help from shortstop Janet Leung.

With two outs in the bottom half of the frame, Merkk walked Wong and hit Messmer. She fell 1-3 in the count with Messmer, then retired her on a fly to centre field.

Pinch hitter Damishah Charles led off the top of the seventh with a stand-up double. Bodrug got out of the at-bat with some help from catcher Natalie Wideman and centre fielder Larissa Franklyn.

The Netherlands gave the ball to 18-year-old J'dah Girigorie in the top of the seventh.

Harshman got to the newcomer with a triple to deep left field. Erika Polidori followed with a double to the gap in right-centre to tie the game.

The Netherlands intentionally walked Pilgrim. Larissa Franklin was all over Gririgorie's first pitch and turned it into a mammoth three-run walk-off home run.

Canada will face No. 2 Japan at 11:00 (local time) on Friday, July 19. The Netherlands will face No. 1 USA at 17:30 (local time).