Japan opened the Women 's Baseball World Cup Finals 2024 presented by CARNEXT, with a win in the Asian Classic against No. 2 Chinese Taipei.
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 17:30. The game between No. 5 Mexico and No. 7 Canada will follow at 19:30. All times are local.
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28/07/2024 10:00 (UTC -4) - Final
World No. 1 Japan defeated Asian arch-rivals Chinese Taipei behind a solid performance by starting pitcher Wakana Mori. Iori Miura, Yuki Kawabata and Miwa Naraoka enjoyed a two-hit game.
Wen-Ching Hsieh started for Chinese Taipei, while Japan gave the ball to Wakana Mori.
Both teams failed to score from third in the first. Japan misplayed a squeeze attempt, and Chinese Taipei tried to run home on a comebacket to the mound.
Iori Miura hit a two-out and two-RBI double to put Japan ahead in the top of the second.
She advanced to third on the play and scored on Haruna Tadano's single to make it 3-0.
Chinese Taipei tied the game in the bottom of the third, thriving on a missed double-play opportunity. Mori allowed a bases-loaded walk and Yi-Hsuan Chiu followed with a two-RBI single.
Japan took the lead back in the top of the fourth. Kawabata's sacrifice fly broke the tie, and Miwa Naraoka followed with an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Japan added two runs on reliever Yu-Pei Chen thanks to a base hit by Kae Iwami and infield singles by pinch hitter Yazuha Nakamura and Miura.
Chinese Taipei cut the gap to 7-4 in the bottom half of the frame. Chiao-Yun Huang reached on a two-out double and scored on Pei-Chen Huang's RBI single.
Japan added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on Osada's sacrifice fly. Yi-Hsuan Chiu closed the at-bat with a fine leaping catch.
Natsuki Kubo took the mound for Japan in the bottom of the sixth. The reliever allowed a couple of hits but got herself out of trouble striking out the side.
Li-Ching Huang stepped to the mound for Chinese Taipei in the top of the seventh. Japan added a run on a fielding error.
The game scheduled for 10:00 (local time) between No. 3 Venezuela and No. 4 USA was cancelled as Venezuela failed to field a team due to significant travel logistics issues. The tournament’s technical commission forfeited the game and assigned the win to the US.
