Japan walk off Netherlands, head to Super Round undefeated

World No. 3 Japan came from behind to defeat No. 8 Netherlands with a walk-off slap by pinch-hitter Shiho Suto in the bottom of the seventh, 4-3, in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 in Castions di Strada in Italy on Wednesday.

The Dutch took an early lead against Miu Goto and Sakura Miwa and brought it to the bottom of the seventh. Legendary 42-year-old, two-time Olympic gold medallist Yukiko Ueno came out of the bullpen, pitching 4.2 masterful innings to earn the win.

Catcher Brenda Beers hit a one-out blooper off Japan starter Miu Goto, becoming the first runner of the game. Maxime Van Dalen followed with a base hit up the middle. Goto got out of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout.

Goto allowed a pair of walks in the top of the second, but got out of the inning on three flyouts.

Beers led off the third with a base hit. Goto walked the next batter and left for Sakura Miwa.

The Netherlands bunted the runners to third and second. Suka Van Gurp looked at a strike, then singled up the middle to give the Netherlands a 2-0 lead. Wissink followed with a blooper to shallow centre field to make it 3-0.

The Dutch were relentless. Cindy Van der Zanden drove a two-strike pitch to center field for an RBI single. Japan turned to Yukiko Ueno in the bullpen. The two-time Olympic gold medalist responded by striking out the side to escape the inning.

Urara Fujimoto gave Japan the first runner of the game, reaching on a drag bunt with one out in the bottom of the third. She reached third with two outs, but Van Aalst got out of the inning on a groundout.

Kyoko Ishikawa led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield single. She stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Van Aalst walked Eri Shimoyama with one out, then struck out Yui Sakamoto for the second out. Japan tried to score on a double steal, but the Netherlands tagged Shimoyama for the out before Ishikawa could score.

Fujimoto reached on a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth and stole second. Van Aalst walked the next batter but got out of the inning on a force-out at second.

Ishikawa led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Hotaru Tsukamoto bunted her to second. She was initially called out at first base, but the on-field review overturned the call. Eri Shimoyama drove the eighth pitch of a long duel into the gap to right-centre to put Japan on the scoreboard and cut the Dutch lead to 3-2.

Lisa Hop relieved Van Aalst for the Netherlands but could not stop the comeback. Shimoyama reached third on a groundout and scored the tying run on Kanna Kudo's infield single.

Japan walked it off in the bottom of the seventh. Yume Kiriishi led off with a base hit. Ishikawa dropped a one-out bunt, bringing Kiriishi to third. She reached first on an error.

Pinch hitter Shiho Suto looked at a ball, then slapped the second offering beyond the pitcher. Deep enough for Kiriishi to score the winning run from third.