29/07/2024 4 Minute Read

Japan and USA remain undefeated after Day 2 of Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024

Japan beat Canada 7-6 after a dramatic game that the hosts had tied in the bottom of the sixth. USA needed just six innings to outscore Mexico 11-1. Venezuela proved the day's surprise, beating Chinese Taipei 3-0.

World No. 1 Japan and No. 4 USA emerged as the only undefeated teams after Day 2 of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024 presented by CARNEXT at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Canada, on Monday.

Japan beat No. 7 Canada 7-6 after a dramatic eight-inning game in which the hosts erased a 3-0 gap in the sixth and surrendered the lead in the top of the eighth on two throwing errors. Japan has maintained their winning streak, which stretches back 37 games to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup 2012 in Edmonton when they lost 5-2 to USA in pool play, with solid performances on offence and defence.

USA's comprehensive team effort has secured their undefeated status, as they dominated No. 5 Mexico 11-1 with 13 hits and outscored them in six innings.

No. 3 Venezuela proved to be the surprise of the day by upsetting No. 2 Chinese Taipei 3-0 with solid pitching, with a group of players arriving in Thunder Bay only hours before play. Two-way phenom Frandelis Garcia pitched 2.2 superb innings in relief.

Tournament Links

Japan-Canada 7-6

World No. 1 Japan stayed undefeated with a dramatic win against Canada. The defending World Champions took a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. Canada brought the game to extra innings, surrendered four runs in the top of the eighth, and came just short of another comeback in the bottom half of the frame.

Canada chose Raine Padgham to start the game, while Japan picked Miyu Shimizu.

Japan took an early lead. Iori Miura walked to lead off the game and scored on back-to-back singles by Miu Shiraishi and Yuki Kawabata. Padgham got some help from her catcher Kaitlyn Ross to get the first out of the inning, then retired the side in order.

Japan scored their second run thanks to an FRBI double by Yuzuha Nakamura in the top of the fourth. A super diving catch by Sena Catterall on Kae Iwami's fly to the gap in right-centre prevented Japan's third run.

Canada went to the bullpen with two outs and a full count on Misaki Namai in the top of the fifth. The Japanese catcher singled on left-hander Liz Gilder's first offering. The reliever then got out of the inning with a flyout.

Japan took advantage of a walk and an error to score their third run on a squeeze bunt executed by Kae Iwami in the top of the sixth. They then loaded the bases with singles by Haruna Tadano and Iori Miura.

Canada handed the ball to Sophy Gagne, who got pinch hitter Ayaka Osada to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Canada tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. The first run scored on a bases-loaded walk, and Zoe Hicks batted in the tying runs with a single to centre field.

Shimizu hit Lucie Antil, and Japan brought in left-hander Mika Tai, who got out of the inning by getting Tess Sawkins to ground to second base.

Both teams went scoreless in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.

Japan took the lead back in the top of the eighth. The lead tie-break runner, Miwa Naraoka, scored on two consecutive throwing errors. Tadano batted in two more runs with a bases-loaded single. Canada failed to complete the inning-ending double play when Yuki Kawabata grounded to shortstop, allowing Tadano to score the seventh run.

Canada called Amy Johnson from the bullpen to get out of the inning.

Canada made it a 7-6 game with Alexane Fournier's RBI double and two groundouts. Tai struck out Lucie Anctil on three pitches to end the game and give Japan the win.

GAME REPORT

USA-Mexico 11-1

World No. 4 USA defeated Mexico in six innings to improve to 2-0. Pitchers Kelsie Whitmore and Jamie Baum limited their opponents to just two hits, while the lineup combined for 13 hits, with Remi Schaber going 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

The United States started Kelsie Whitmore, while Flor Valerio took the mound for Mexico.

Mexico loaded the bases in the top of the first on two walks and an error. Whitmore got USA out of trouble striking out the side.

USA took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Valerio hit Alex Hugo, who advanced on a balk, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on Naomi Ryan's RBI single.

USA made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Hugo walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and reached third on Olivia Pichardo's one-out single. Remi Schaber followed with an RBI single to extend USA's lead to 2-0. Valerio walked Jillian Albayati, and a towering two-out pop by Anna Kimbrell to shallow left field turned into a two-RBI double.

Mexico got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning. Dani Leal hit a one-out double to deep centre and scored on an RBI single by Marcela Diaz.

USA extended the lead to 7-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Ashton Lansdell scored on a two-out RBI single by Schaber.

Mexico called Maria Valenzuela from right field to relieve Valerio, with Valeria Rodriguez entering the game in right field. Valerie Perez worked the count to 3-1, then hit a two-RBI single up the middle.

Jamie Baum relieved Whitmore in the top of the fifth inning.

USA closed the game by the run-difference rule with a four-run sixth inning. Schaber hit a two-RBI single off Dafne Mejia, the third Mexican pitcher, and scored the tenth run on Albayati's sacrifice fly. The game ended on a wild pitch.

GAME REPORT

Venezuela-ChineseTaipei 3-0

World No. 3 Venezuela beat No. 2 Chinese Taipei thanks to a three-run fifth at-bat after both teams wasted multiple scoring opportunities early in the game. Two-way superstar Frandelis Garcia pitched 2.2 masterful innings to seal the win.

Angelica Ledezma started for Venezuela, while Chinese Taipei gave the ball to Ching Huang.

Chinese Taipei missed a huge scoring opportunity in the top of the first inning. They lost two runners on the bases, and Ledezma struck out Pei Chen Huang with the bases loaded to end the threat.

Venezuela also had a scoring opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. The inning ended with Pei Chen Huang getting Mariana Valdez at the plate, trying to turn a flyout into a sacrifice fly.

Kimberly Caicedo robbed Chiao-Yun Huang of a hit to end the top of the third inning.

Venezuela loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a pair of hits and an error. Shrishna Arciniega lined out to first to end the inning.

Venezuela took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mariana Valdez led off with a single, stole second, and reached third on a wild pitch. Migrely Angulo bunted to the mound, and Valdez scored the go-ahead run on the error.

Yu-Chuan Tu relieved Huang, and Venezuela extended the lead. Ruclaireth Tovar singled on Tu's fourth pitch, and Angulo scored when a bad hop sent the ball beyond left fielder Yen Tzu Hung. Angulo reached third on the play and scored on Mariana Natera's sacrifice fly.

Chinese Taipei got their first hit against Garcia when Yi-Hsuan Chiu singled to lead off the seventh inning. Garcia retired the side in order, getting the final two outs on strikes to end the game.