02/08/2024 4 Minute Read

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024: USA break Japan's 39-game winning streak, earn World Championship Final home team advantage; Mexico, Canada to play for bronze

Mexico defeated Venezuela 3-2 in eight innings and will face Canada in the bronze medal game. USA edged Japan 4-3 in the eighth to earn home team advantage in the World Championship Final, marking Japan's first World Cup defeat in 39 games since 2012. Canada beat Chinese Taipei 9-8 in a slugfest to complete Opening Round play.

World No. 5 Mexico won the most crucial game of Day 5 of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024, presented by CARNEXT, defeating No. 3 Venezuela 3-2 in eight innings and earning their spot in Saturday's bronze-medal game against No. 7 Canada.

The two other games were equally intense, going into extra innings and showcasing the high level of competition at the World Cup Finals.

World No. 4 USA defeated No. 1 Japan 4-3 in eight innings to open the day and earn the home team advantage in the World Championship final on Saturday. It was Japan's first loss in a World Cup game since 12 August 2012, ending a 39-game winning streak. Japan last lost 5-2 to the US in Edmonton, Canada 12 years ago.

World No. 7 Canada beat No. 2 Chinese Taipei 9-8 in a thrilling slugfest to complete the Opening Round. Both teams displayed impressive offensive power, with Canada pulling ahead in extra innings to secure the victory.

Tournament Links

Mexico-Venezuela 3-2

World No. 5 Mexico took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, gave it up, but scored the lead tie-break runner to defeat No. 3 Venezuela 3-2 and earn the right to compete against Canada in the bronze medal game.

Frandelis Garcia started for Venezuela, while Mexico selected Rosa Del Castillo.

Venezuela lost star pitcher Frandelis Garcia, who left with an injury with runners at second and third and two outs in the top of the third. Reliever Stephany Suarez walked the bases loaded, then got Diana Ibarra to hit into a force out at third.

Mexico took the lead in the top of the fourth with two outs. Gabriela Sandoval doubled to the gap in right-centre, and Samaria Benitez followed with an RBI single.

Suarez left with runners at the corners, and Venezuela handed the ball to Abril Amaro. The right-hander struck out Maria Valenzuela to escape the inning.

Del Castillo was within six strikes of the win. Venezuela tied the game with one out in the bottom of the seventh when Kimberly Caicedo hit a two-RBI double and became the winning run at second.

Del Castillo intentionally walked Mariana Valdez, then got Mariana Natera to ground into a double play to the mound.

Mexico took a new lead in the top of the eighth when Marlen Lagunes scored the lead tie-break runner, Diana Ibarra, with a sacrifice fly.

Flor Valerio took the mound for Mexico in the bottom of the eighth. She got the first out when Yohelis Colina popped a bunt attempt to the mound, then retired Yakary Molina and Garcia in order, sending Mexico to the bronze medal game.

GAME REPORT

USA-Japan 4-3

World No. 4 USA used an extra-inning balk to defeat No. 1 Japan and earn home team advantage in the World Championship final. Japan lost their first World Cup game having won 39 games since 12 August 2012, when they lost 5-2 to USA in Edmonton.

Reigning Women's Baseball World Cup MVP Ayami Sato started for Japan, while Jamie Baum took the mound for the United States.

Pitchers dominated the first three innings. Sato allowed the United States two hits, with no runners reaching scoring position. Japan managed one hit and reached second with one out in the bottom of the third.

USA took the lead in the top of the fourth. With runners at the corners, Jillian Albayati drove Sato's fifth pitch beyond the left-field wall for a three-run home run.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ayaka Deguchi put Japan on the scoreboard with a single up the middle. USA got out of the inning with a double play.

Yuna Tsuchiya relieved Sato in the top of the sixth.

Japan tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Miu Shiraishi doubled with runners on first and second, sending both home.

With the game tied and runners at the corners, the US replaced Baum with right-hander Maggie Meidlinger, who used four pitches to retire Iwami and get out of the inning.

Wakana Mori took the mound for Japan in the seventh.

USA shortstop Valerie Perez sent the game to extra innings by stopping Yuki Kawabata's grounder up the middle with a diving catch and getting the third out at first.

The US took the lead in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded and one out, Mori balked to score Albayati, the lead tie-break runner, from third.

With runners on second and third, Meidlinger struck out Shiraishi in the bottom of the eighth to give the US the win and home team advantage in the World Championship Final.

GAME REPORT

Canada-Chinese Taipei 9-8

Canada finished the Opening Round with an extra-inning win against Chinese Taipei. The hosts had a 16-hit night but committed three errors.

Wen-Ching Hsieh started for Chinese Taipei, while Canada chose Michelle Roche.

Canada loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first. Chinese Taipei shortstop Yi-Hsuan Chiu made an extraordinary basket catch on Andréanne Léblanc's blooper to shallow centre field but could not prevent Sena Catterall from scoring the go-ahead run.

Canada made it a 2-0 game on a bases-loaded walk.

Chinese Taipei cut the lead to 2-1 with Chiu, who got the first hit, advanced on a bunt and a fly to right field, and scored on an error.

Wen-Ching Hsieh left with the bases loaded in the top of the second after allowing Canada the third run. Left-hander Chiao-Yun Huang retired the side in order and got out of the inning.

Chinese Taipei reversed the lead, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second on a two-out RBI double by Shin Yun Lee and an error.

Canada got the lead back in the top of the third. Sena Catterall batted in the tying run. She then stole second and third and scored on Mia Valcke's RBI single.

Choa-Yu Lin tied the game at five, scoring Hsiao-Mei Chen from third with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Chinese Taipei took a new lead when Pei-Chen Huang homered to deep left field.

Liz Gilder took the mound for Canada and got out of the inning on a comebacker to the mound.

Chinese Taipei added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Shin-Yun Lee scored on Yu-Ying Hsieh's squeeze bunt.

Canada cut the gap in the top of the fifth. Valcke reached on a two-out double and scored on Andréanne Leblanc's single.

The hosts scored the tying runs in the top of the sixth on Willan's two-RBI double.

Canada gave the ball to Sophy Gagne in the bottom of the seventh.

The hosts won it in the eighth. Matlock scored Canada's go-ahead run on Valcke's infield single in the top of the eighth. Gagne retired the side in order after failing to get the force-out at third on a bunt attempt. The game ended when Ai-Wei Yang struck out trying to execute a squeeze play, and Canada tagged Hsiao-Mei Chen for the final out after a trap.