Canada edge Italy in dramatic duel to qualify for Super Round
World No. 5 Canada rallied in the bottom of the seventh to secure a dramatic 5-4 victory over No. 6 Italy on Wednesday at Castions di Strada in Italy, earning a spot in the Super Round of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 alongside USA, Japan and the Netherlands.
Italy, seeking their first top-four finish in Women's Softball World Cup history, fell just three outs short of a historic result.
Canada's Dawn Bodrug struck out the side to start the game.
In the bottom of the first, Erika Polidori was all over Italian starter Alice Nicolini's two-strike changeup and reached with a one-out double. Nicolini got out of the inning on a flyout and a groundout.
Italy got on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Andrea Filler reached on a leadoff walk. Catcher Elisa Cecchetti sent the first pitch she saw over the head of Callum Pilgrim and off the wall in right field for a double that scored Filler from first.
Canada reversed the lead in the bottom half of the frame. With Janet Leung at second, Caitlyn Wong at first and no one out, Erika Piancastelli got Grace Messmer on a flyout. The runners advanced on the play and scored on Zoe Hicks single.
Dayton led off the third with a base hit up the middle.She stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Canada walked McKenzie Barbara to get to Andrea Filler with runners at the corner and one out. Filler tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field on Bodrug's fourth pitch.
Alessandra Rotondo pinch ran for Barbara and stole second. Marta Gasparotto looked at a ball and then gave the lead back to Italy crushing the second pitch off the wall in left field.
Canada replaced Borug with Morgan Rackel in the top of the fourth. Giulia Longhi welcomed her with a stand-up double to left field. Reckel got herself out of trouble catching Dayton's hard comebacker to the mound.
Hicks drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth and advanced to third on a hard-hit single by Kianna Jones. Kelsey Harshman singled in the tying run.
Erika Piancastelli led off the top of the fifth with an infield single. She advanced on a groundout and reached third on Filler's single. Piancastelli became the second out on a failed squeeze attempt. Reckel walked the bases loaded, then got out of the jam, retiring Giulia Longhi on a pop.
Pilgrim led off the bottom of the fifth with a double that sent Nicolini to the showers. Reliever Alexia Lacatena got the first out on a line drive, then allowed a single to Janet Leung. With runners at third and second, Lacatena struck out Caitlyn Wong and retired Grace Messmer on a grounder to shortstop.
Melanie Sheldon led off the sixth with a base hit. Koutsoyanopulos bunted her to second. Dayton slapped a single to shallow centre field and brought Sheldon to third. Piancastelli hit a hard grounder off the glove of first baseman Hicks, and Sheldon scored the go-ahead run.
Canada gave the ball to Sara Groenewegen in the top of the seventh.
Pilgrim led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit. Franklyn followed with a single to centre field. The runners advanced to third and second on a wild pitch. Janet Leung singled to centre, tying the game and bringing the potential winning run to third.
Wong stepped to the batter's box with runners at third and second and no one out. She drove the fifth pitch she saw to right field. Piancastelli would have needed a rocket throw to get the out at home plate and keep Italy in the game. She tried to hustle, but the ball fell, and Larissa Franklyn scored the run that brought Canada to the Super Round.
Canada will play in the Super Round and start with a 0-1 record. Italy will compete in the Placement Round and begin with a 1-0 record.