WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group A final - USA lead Great Britain, game stopped by rain

0 29

15 Jul 2023 03:33

Welcome to the final day of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group A in Balbriggan, Ireland where the two winners of the tickets to the Finals in Italy next year will be determined.

First up we have Great Britain playing USA (2 v 1) in the final with a ticket to the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals in Italy next year on the line, followed by Chinese Taipei v Australia (4 v 3), before the repechage game and the placement game between Botswana and Ireland (6 v 5).

Day Five Schedule

Game 18: Great Britain v USA 0-2 Weather Delay Streaming Weather Forecast
Game 17: Chinese Taipei v Australia 10:30
Game 19: Winner of Game 17 v Loser of Game 18 13:00
Game 16: Botswana v Ireland 15:30

Winner of Game 18 & Game 19 claim a ticket to next year's Finals.
Winner of Game 17 could also be in contention for Finals wild card - Tournament Format
Great Britain and USA top pool play standings with three wins from three games
First WBSC tournament to feature the new two-stage format
Last two days - Friday and Saturday - affected by heavy rain
Next group - Group B - starts on Tuesday in Valencia, Spain
Tournament Website
Tournament Regulations
Photos
Watch live on GameTime.Sport

Great Britain v USA

And an exciting first game of the day with the winner between USA and Great Britain punching a ticket to the World Cup Finals next year. Great anticipation from both sides.

Defending champions and world No. 1 USA and Great Britain, playing above their world ranking of 16, are both unbeaten in the tournament so far.

Great Britain are on course to secure their best finish ever in a WBSC Women's Softball World Cup (if they advance to the Finals next year where there will be eight teams featuring) having finished 10th in 2006 and 11th three times, including their last appearance in 2018 in Chiba, Japan.

Twelve-time champions USA are on a 22 game winning streak in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup going back to the final of the 2014 edition when they lost to Japan in the final. Make that total 27 when you count the World Games 2022, which awarded the title of world champion.

Ally Carda starts as pitcher for USA and keeps the British batting lineup quiet in the top of the first while Rebecca Faulkner is in the pitching circle for Great Britain today as two-way star of the tournament to date Georgina Corrick looks to be rested for potentially the repechage game if needed.

Bottom of the first and veteran Ali Aguilar puts Faulkner over the deep right field fence to put USA up 2-0 with Hannah Flippen having reached base on catcher's interference.

Great catch from Alana Snow in right field on the run to deny Nicole Bates to make it three and three down in the bottom of the second. Score remains 2-0 to the defending champions.

Rain starting to fall during the bottom of the third inning and with the grey clouds gathering in the west, it's not looking promising.

With the rain getting harder, home plate umpire Marni Bodnarchuk has called a weather delay at 08:50.

09:20 The rain is getting harder so not looking like this is a passing shower, especially when you see the weather forecast.

11:00 Still the rain is persisting. Forecast suggesting it will stay this way for the next few hours. No update on the status of today's games since the weather looks to have set in.

12:00 With rain still falling the Tournament Committee has announced that there won't be any play before 16:00 with an inspection planned for 15:00 to verify the state of play.