McKenxie Barbara, Andrea Filler and Marta Gasparotto homer and lead Italy to first win

World No. 6 Italy outslugged No. 17 China with home runs by McKenzie Barbara, Andrea Filler and Marta Gasparotto in the enthralling evening game on the opening day of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 in Castions di Strada, Italy. Alice Nicolini went the distance to seal the 6-0 victory.

A two-out single by Min Ren became the game's first hit. It would be the first of only five hits.

Erika Piancastelli reached on a one-out double in the bottom half of the frame. McKenzie Barbara gave Italy the lead, hitting a stand-up double off the centre-field wall. Elisa Cecchetti hit a two-out single to left field, and Barbara scored the second run from second.

Piacastelli homered with a runner on base in the bottom of the fifth, but Isabella Dayton left the first base bag in advance and was called out after the on-field review. Piancastelli had to return to the batting box and struck out looking.

Italy's date with power hitting was only delayed to the bottom of the sixth. McKenzie Barbara and Andrea Filler hit back-to-back homers, forcing China to give the call to Yinan Chai. Melanie Sheldon welcomed her with a double, and pinch hitter Marta Gasparotto homered on the first pitch she saw, making it a 6-0 game.

Italy will close Day 2 facing No. 1 USA, while China will play at 14:00 (local time) against Canada.