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CARACAS, VENEZUELA — Eights are definitely wild at this point of the International Softball Federation’s XII Women’s World Championship being played here.

The final eight round robin games played today helped determine the order of finish for the eight teams that have advanced to the playoffs while eight teams are now finished playing. Eight games will take place over the next two days, setting up the two biggest ones on Friday (July 2), when the gold, silver, and bronze medalists will all be crowned.

And what a grand finish to round robin play it was.

Yaicey Sojo smacked a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence with two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Venezuela a 5-2 win over China. In the bottom of the first inning Sojo had hit a solo home run that just stayed fair down the left field line.

Following that hit for the 1-0 lead, the home team didn’t record another hit until the bottom of the sixth inning, with that too coming off the bat of the 23-year old outfielder, meaning that (in four at-bats) she finished with all three of her team’s hits.

China tied the score at one in the top of the third inning when Lifang Zhang singled to left field to drive in Min Xu who had stolen second then third base on consecutive pitches.

The visitors took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a Jia Guo sacrifice fly that scored Yuan Wang but pitcher Mariangee Bogado held China at bay, scattering five hits for a complete-game victory.

Lu Wei pitched the first two-and-two-thirds innings for China before being relieved by Lan Wang, who took the loss.

Other drama today included a Great Britain-Argentina game that took two extra innings to decide.

The teams were scoreless after regulation (seven innings) and the score stayed that way after eight.

Argentina got on the board in the top of the ninth when Agustina Godoy’s ground ball in the infield was mishandled by second baseplayer Sarah Jones, preventing her from getting a throw home, which allowed a run to score while Godoy was thrown out at first.

But in the bottom of the ninth Caley Roberts singled to shallow left field to score Naomi Jones. With Argentina pitcher Carla Villalva not paying attention, Jones ended up at second base. That set the stage for Kristi Yoshizawa, who lined a 1-1 pitch to right field to bring home the winning run.

Stacie Townsend again started in the circle for Great Britain and picked up the win by going the full nine innings, allowing just one hit. Villalva took the loss, having relieved starter Virginia Sciuto, who was pitching in the women’s world championship at the age of just 17 years old.

Chinese Taipei and Cuba came dangerously close to a similar extra innings affair. The two teams were scoreless after six innings when Taipei finally got on the board in the top of the seventh inning with what would prove to be the game’s only run despite the fact that they banged out nine hits.

Pitcher Chung Hui Lin went the distance to pick up the win. Anislei Lopez Gutierrez went two-and-two-thirds innings for Cuba with Yusmeri Pacheco Ysalgue handling the rest of the pitching duties.

The day had begun with Japan solidifying their perfect round robin record via a 10-0 triumph over South Africa. Eri Yamada went 3-for-3 at the plate and Satoko Mabuchi and Maki Tanigawa each hit a home run as the winners totaled eleven hits in a game shortened (four innings) by the ISF run-ahead rule.

Japan scored at least one run in each inning and pitchers Emi Segawa and Emi Matsuoka combined on a three-hitter and five strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Australia was blanking Botswana by the same score. Seven different players had at least one hit in what was also a four-inning game. The winners got big second (five runs) and fourth (four) innings. Pitchers Kaia Parnaby and Karina Cannon combined on a two strikeout, no walks, two-hitter while Botswana used three different pitchers.

Keeping pace with Japan, Team USA also finished round robin play unbeaten thanks to a 9-0 decision over the Czech Republic today. The five-inning game saw winning pitcher Eileen Canney hold the Czechs to just two hits while striking out seven and issuing no walks. Nine different USA players had one hit each including Andrea Duran and Jennie Finch, who both homered.

New Zealand won their first game of the tournament and their last game of the event by winning 3-0 today over the Dominican Republic. The White Sox took the victory despite the two teams having just four hits each. Two of New Zealand’s hits were doubles, however. All of the scoring came in the top of the first inning and pitchers Megan Farrel and Michal Tangaroa combined for seven strikeouts while losing pitcher Melissa Penna tossed a complete game, striking out three and walking just one.

This evening Canada solidified the second seed in Pool A by defeating the Netherlands, 6-1. Despite a fifth inning Solange Starrenburg home run off of winning pitcher Ashley Lanz, the Dutch didn’t have their hitting shoes on tonight, registering just two other hits the whole game.

Three different Netherlands pitchers couldn’t shut down the Canadians, who got a home run of their own, off the bat of Sheena Lawrick. Her team was up 6-0 when the game was only two innings old.

The playoffs begin tomorrow with the following games (times local to Caracas):

1 pm Japan vs. Venezuela
3 pm USA vs. Canada
5 pm Chinese Taipei vs. China
7 pm Australia vs. Netherlands

For more information contact: Bruce Wawrzyniak at BruceW (at) isfsoftball.org

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ISF Worlds – Playoffs 1

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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

From Al’s Fastball Twitter:

Team Canada defeats the Netherlands 6-1 to finish 2nd place in Pool A. Canada-USA playoff game tomorrow @ 3:30pm EDT!!

(Caracas, Venezuela) After finishing second place in Pool A with a 6-1 record, Team Canada took on the difficult task of facing the United States (7-0) in the second of four crossover games on Wednesday. Canada, who showed plenty of offence in the round-robin portion of the tournament, was unable to get much going against USA pitcher Monica Abbott, and the American bats took advantage of Canada’s pitching for a convincing 16-1 win.

As the first place team in Pool B, the United States chose to bat first, and they jumped all over Canadian starting pitcher Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON). The first three American hitters all reached to load the bases, before cleanup hitter Alissa Haber hit a double down the third base line to clear the bases. After Haber came in to score on a single by Ashley Charters to increase the lead to 4-0 with no outs, the red and white made a pitching change to Ashley Lanz (Winnipeg, MB) who looked solid in two starts in round-robin play. However, the first batter Lanz faced hit a comebacker that hit the pitcher in the hand, taking her out of the game. Tina Andreana (Oakville, ON) came to the pitcher’s circle next, and after giving up a walk to load the bases once again, she forced a fly out to left field and Melanie Matthews (Surrey, BC) was able to throw out the runner tagging from third at home to get out of the first inning.

After holding the Americans hitless in the second, Andreana ran into trouble in the third, walking two of the first three hitters and later allowing a bunt single to load the bases with two outs. Natasha Watley then hit a ground-rule double to the gap in right-center field to bring two runners in to score, increasing the lead to 6-0. After another walk loaded the bases once again, Jessica Mendoza drove a single to right field to plate two more runners.

Canada chipped away at the big lead in the bottom of the third by scoring one run. Heather Ebert (Rosthern, SK) was able to get Canada’s first hit of the game, driving a pitch up the middle into centerfield. Evelyne Pare (Ile-Perrot, QC) then moved her into scoring position with a slap out to third, and Melanie Matthews delivered a clutch two-out single to center to bring Ebert in to score.

However, the Americans went right back to work in the fourth, as Kaitlin Cochrane ripped a triple down the first base line, and Ashley Charters walked to start the inning. Charters moved up to second by tagging up on fly ball to the catcher behind the plate, and the next hitter grounded a fielder’s choice to Jenn Yee (North Delta, BC) at second, who made a nice play to cut the runner down at the plate for the second out. Watley then placed a perfect slap to shortstop for an RBI infield single, increasing the lead to 9-1.

The United States did not let up in the fifth, as they quickly got two runners on base with singles before Cochran hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Charters followed that up with an RBI single of her own to left field, and Jennie Finch blasted a three-run homerun to center. A walk and a double put runners on second and third, and with two outs, Jessica Mendoza drove both of them in to score with a single to center to round out the scoring.

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Tomorrow is day five of ten at the world championship and teams are passing the halfway point of round robin play.
2010-06-26

CARACAS, VENEZUELA — The International Softball Federation’s XII Women’s World Championship hits the halfway point tomorrow in terms of it being day five of ten but following ten games today, teams are hitting the halfway point in round robin play.

Sixteen countries are participating in the fast pitch tournament, with eight teams in each pool. With one game against each team in their pool, teams are playing seven round robin games.

Overall, Canada, Japan, and USA all find themselves with perfect 4-0 won-lost records so far, with Australia, the Netherlands, and Venezuela at 3-1.

Photo courtesy of Julieta Peñarroya

Today began with the Netherlands getting past Argentina, 4-3. The Dutch were actually outhit, 7-5, but held off the Argentines. After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Netherlands got all of their runs in the bottom half of the inning. Argentina got a pair in the top of the fourth, but neither team would score the rest of the way, as Argentina’s record fell to 1-2.

Meanwhile, Australia was defeating the Czech Republic, 6-0. Four different Aussie players had two hits apiece, including Stacey Porter and Tracey Mosley, who each hit a home run. Pitchers Aimee Murch and Kaia Parnaby held the Czech batters to a game total of just four hits.

Japan was then set to take on Cuba and started to until rain not only suspended play, but joined with a busy grounds crew to delay the restart for hours. Eventually Japan won, 1-0, thanks to a complete-game performance from 20-year old Sayuri Yamane who allowed just three hits. Offensively, her teammates put up just the same total, but it took just Naoko Matsumoto’s RBI double in the second inning to provide all the scoring Japan would need. Cuban pitcher Yusmari Pacheco was impressive in defeat.

China and New Zealand were somewhat delayed by the same rain, but like the game at the other field, the Asian team won by shutout here too, 11-0. Yuan Wang went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a triple, and Luo Ying hit a home run while New Zealand mustered just two hits in what would be a four-inning game (ISF run-ahead rule). After a scoreless first inning China scored twice in the top of the second, six times in the third, and three more runs in the fourth.

To keep the games on track, Canada’s game scheduled against Great Britain was moved off-site, but it didn’t hamper the red and white who posted a 7-0 triumph. Highlights for the winners included Jenn Yee hitting her third home run in as many games and pitcher Ashley Lanz throwing a no-hitter (five-inning game) and striking out seven GB batters. The winners got runs in each inning except the first.

Australia came back for their second game of the day and provided a little déjà vu with another 6-0 victory, this time over the Dominican Republic. The loss dropped the Dominican Republic’s record to 1-3. Australia’s other victory (yesterday versus China) had been by shutout as well. The Aussies gave up four runs (to Venezuela) in their only defeat thus far.

Still another shutout was posted when the Netherlands posted their second victory of the day, a 3-0 decision against Cuba. Interestingly, it was Cuba’s pitcher, Anisle Lopez, who took a perfect game into the fifth inning, retiring the first 13 batters of the game. But Netherlands pitcher Lindsey Meadows broke it up with a single to right field with one out and her team went on to score two runs in that inning. They added an insurance tally in the seventh inning on a solo home run by Chantal Versluis.

Meadows pitched a complete game and, unofficially, struck out ten.

Team USA had a quick night’s work, by way of the ISF’s run-ahead rule, needing just three innings to down Botswana, 20-0. Both Chelsea Bramlett and Lauren Lappin went 3-for-3 at the plate. Pitcher Jennie Finch made her first appearance in the circle so far at the world championship, having been used previously at first base. Tonight she struck out six Botswana batters over the trio of innings.

Canada had been scheduled to play Argentina last night but the game was suspended due to rain. There was certainly no sunshine for Argentina – and not just because it was a night game – as Canada rolled to a 12-0 victory. The winners got ten runs in the first inning alone and pitcher Jenna Caira struck out three batters and allowed just three hits in what was just a four-inning game (run-ahead rule).

The evening concluded with Venezuela posting a 5-1 victory over the Czech Republic in front of yet another jam-packed stadium while Chinese Taipei was defeating South Africa, 8-1.

Venezuela was led by Rubilena Rojas going 2-for-3 at the plate and pitcher Mariangee Bogado throwing a complete-game three-hitter.

Chinese Taipei had a run-ahead rule game too, getting eight runs on eleven hits in five innings, scoring in all but the second. South Africa put their lone tally on the board in the bottom of the fourth. The victory evened Chinese Taipei’s record at 2-2 while South Africa fell to 0-4.

The remaining three days of round robin play will ‘only’ have eight games each day. Tomorrow starts off at 1pm (local time) with Chinese Taipei taking on Argentina and Team USA battling long-time rival Australia.

ISF XII Women’s World Championship
June 23-July 2, 2010
Caracas, Venezuela

World Clock for Caracas, Venezuela

New Zealand Women, 8, Botswana 1

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Australia (link to page)

Argentina 4, South Africa 3

Rough Google translation
Original news story from Martin Jorge
Head of Media and Communication
Softball Confederation Argentina

Argentina National Team earned their first victory this afternoon in the ISF Women’s World Championship, which is being played in the city of Caracas, Venezuela. At a heated and contested encounter , Argentina beat South Africa, 4-3 and thus achieved its second victory in World Cup history.

The game was completely evenly from start to finish. Was noticed throughout the game that the series of games between these two teams just a week ago in Buenos Air allowed both teams to study your opponent and know perfectly the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent.

Argentina went ahead in the opening of the first inning, by Pamela Clark’s double with two outs, to bring the dish to Florence and Carla Olheiser Villalva. However, the closure of the entrance to South Africa drew the shares. A long double to left by Novelli Bianca brought the dish to Candice Stephens, and a batter later she would step the plate thanks to a blunder of the Argentina defense.

The home team struck again on the third episode. Olheiser Florence, the great figure of the whole offensive albiceleste (April 3, two runs scored, an RBI) singled, advanced to second thanks to the sacrifice of Villalva, and stood in third after a pass ball. With the table set, Valeria Livschitz brought to the plate connecting a strong line on third base. However, the African team leveled the shares immediately. Kim Nicholson walked, got in scoring position thanks to a sacrifice, and Novelli boosted its second run of the game with a single.

From there, the game went on the side of the pitchers for two periods. Virginia Sciuto by Argentina and South Africa nicolena Jones, controlled the actions of the party. Until the end of the sixth inning, Sciuto was simple and was relieved, no outs, by Carla Villalva. A base on balls, and a third on a fielder’s choice which failed to remove the runner loaded the bases with one out and put the game on the line for both teams. Perhaps it was this the most important moment of the game and Villalva overcame the threat by striking out the next batter, and forcing a grounder to end the inning.

This gave the Argentina one extra morale boost when taking his turn at bat, that would not pass. With one out, Agustina Godoy walked, and taken to second by a touch of Nadia Heis, allowing the definition of the game in the hands of Florence Olheiser, with runners at second and two outs. And Florence is dressed heroine once more with a single to center field to drive the fourth and final race.

Villalva closed the door at the end of the seventh, striking out the last batter of the game and won the game rising, with two innings pitched, 2 hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Virginia starting pitcher went Sciuto, who allowed five hits, three runs (two clean), giving a single ticket and striking out one.

On offense, Florence Olheiser was the most prominent, with Pamela Clark (1 of 3, 2 RBI) and Valeria Livschitz (1 of 3, 1 RBI) also plays a great job.

Thus, Argentina returned to World Cup triumph after sixteen years getting a crucial victory in the aspirations of the selection. Argentina will face Canada tomorrow, to 19 pm in Caracas (20.30 Hs Argentina) for the third game of the group.

Education: Agustina Godoy 6 Nadia Heis 5, Florence Olheiser 3 Villalva JD Carla, Pamela Clark 9, Valeria Livschitz 8, Soledad Angeletti 2, Natalia Jimenez 4, Magali Frezzotti 7, Virginia Sciuto 2.

Jorge Martin
Head of Media and Communication
Softball Confederation Argentina

Click here for Scoreboard for Women’s ISF World Championships, in Caracas, Venezuela.

23th June 2010
(yesterday)
Dominican Republic 0 – 1 Venezuela

24th June 2010
(today)
– Botswana – China
– China – United States
– Botswana – New Zealand
– Czech Republic – Dominican Republic
– Venezuela – Australia

ISF XII Women’s World Championship
June 23-July 2, 2010
Caracas, Venezuela