McKenxie Barbara, Andrea Filler and Marta Gasparotto homer and lead Italy to first win
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>World No. 6 Italy outslugged No. 17 China with home runs by McKenzie Barbara, Andrea Filler and Marta Gasparotto. Alice Nicolini went the distance to seal the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="6-0 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-womens-softball-world-cup-finals/schedule-and-results/box-score/128727" target="_blank">6-0</a> victory.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:core-embed/youtube {"url":"https://youtu.be/nI7cqSUZpbA?si=iTW1S_RFzRmWM352","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","className":"wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/nI7cqSUZpbA?si=iTW1S_RFzRmWM352
</div></figure>
<!-- /wp:core-embed/youtube -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>A two-out single by Min Ren became the game's first hit. It would be the first of only five hits.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Erika Piancastelli reached on a one-out double in the bottom half of the frame. McKenzie Barbara gave Italy the lead, hitting a stand-up double off the centre-field wall. Elisa Cecchetti hit a two-out single to left field, and Barbara scored the second run from second.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Piacastelli homered with a runner on base in the bottom of the fifth, but Isabella Dayton left the first base bag in advance and was called out after the on-field review. Piancastelli had to return to the batting box and struck out looking.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Italy's date with power hitting was only delayed to the bottom of the sixth. McKenzie Barbara and Andrea Filler hit back-to-back homers, forcing China to give the call to Yinan Chai. Melanie Sheldon welcomed her with a double, and pinch hitter Marta Gasparotto homered on the first pitch she saw, making it a 6-0 game.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:html -->
<a data-flickr-embed="true" data-context="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wbsc/53859407699/in/dateposted/" title="20240715_G4_CHN-ITA_WSWC_Finals_024_ER"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53859407699_42a79bd8a7_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="20240715_G4_CHN-ITA_WSWC_Finals_024_ER"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<!-- /wp:html -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Italy will close Day 2 facing No. 1 USA, while China will play at 14:00 (local time) against Canada.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->