WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2024 Group C - Day 1: Australia win opener against Philippines. Canada explode in the second inning to defeat Mexico. USA beat Ireland in three

The WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2024 Group C got underway with three games at The Village Dallas. Australia defeated Philippines, 7-4, in the tournament's opener in a game disrupted by a lightning delay. Canada flexed their muscles in today's showdown against Mexico with a five-inning, 9-0 victory to open the tournament. Finally, in the last game of the day, USA beat Ireland, 15-0, in three innings.

USA pitcher Saylor Timmerman was impressive in the three innings she worked, pitching a seven-strikeout no-thit no-run, allowing only one walk in the game. She was the played of the day in Dallas.

Key News

• WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group C press conference: Head coaches on mindset, preparation ahead of tournament start on Thursday
• Softball superpowers, rising nations collide in WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group C
• WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup: A bright future for Olympic softball
• Meet Dallas, home of the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group C & Finals 2025
• The Village Dallas, much more than a host for the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group C
• WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group C: GameTime to live-stream all 19 games

Arwen Kavanagh pitched three scoreless innings in relief and Angelique Iredale scored three runs from the leadoff spot to lift Australia to a 7-4 win against Philippines in Game 1 of the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group C. The game suffered a two hour 19 minutes delay due to lightning in the Dallas area when it was the top of the fourth with two outs, and Australia leading 5-0. 

Australia was cruising in the game during the first four innings, getting a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth, when the game was stopped due to lightning. Almost three hours later, in the bottom of the fifth, the Philippines stringed together four hits, including a two-run homer by Mylia Perez, to make it 5-4.

Kavanagh took the ball for Australia after Perez homer, and she pitched extremely well, shutting out Philippines for three innings, giving up only one hit and one walk. She was the winning pitcher of the game. 

Philippines shortstop Mylia Perez was only a triple away from the cycle. She went 3-for-4 wit a single, a double and a homer with two RBIs in the game.

For Australia, Rhiannon Smith, Indy Munro, Kate Luyten and Maya Gillies got two RBIs each in the game.

Six Canadian players had at least one RBI in the game, supporting a great start by Morgan Reimer leading Canada to a 9-0 win against Mexico. The red and white squad exploded with six runs in the top of the second to break the game open.

Reimer started the game for Canada and tossed three quality innings, giving up only one hit while striking out six opponents. She was the winner of the game. Reimer made 37 pitches in the game, 29 of them in the zone for a 78% rate. This is a bit higher of what she showed in the Americas Qualifier, where she tossed 74% of her pitches for strike. 

Danika Nell worked two innings in relief retiring the six batters she faced.

Cece Brown and Avery Porter had a two-hit game for Canada, with Brown adding also two RBIs.

The only hit for Mexico came of the bat of third baseman Danna Viera. Lilianna Acosta was charged with the loss.

Saylor Timmerman whit a three-inning no-hitter and Brooke Wells blasted a grand slam in today's USA win over Ireland, 15-0, to close day one of the competition. USA scored multiple runs in their three at bats, including nine in the third frame, to secure their first triumph in Dallas.

Ten of the 12 hitters used by USA in the game hit safely at least once, with eight of them grabbing at least one RBI in the game. Wells led the offence with her grand slam in the second innings, joined by Townsen Thomas with three RBIs and Ryan Allen with two.

Timmerman struck out seven opponents in three innings of work, allowing only one walk in the game. She used 40 pitches to complete the game, 28 of them in the strike zone.

Ireland managed to put two runners on in the game. Leadoff hitter Cameron Kelly reached in the first on a defensive error, while Arden Walsh walked to leadoff the second inning.

Key Links

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• WBSC/KONAMI Women's Softball World Ranking

Ireland 0 - 15 USA - Boxscore

Bottom 3rd - USA sent 12 batters in the inning to score 9 runs to walkoff the game, 15-0 in three innings. 

Bottom 2nd - Brooke Wells increases USA's lead sending a 0-2 pitch to the left field bleachers for a grand slam. The hosts had loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. The game is now 6-0.

Bottom 1st - USA loaded the bases on two walks and a single, and then jumped ahead on a two-run single by Townsen Thomas to right field. Ireland's left fielder Cassidy Moriarty made a nice jumping catch for the second out of the inning.

Starting pitchers: Saylor Zimmerman (USA) - Cameron Kelly (IRL)

Preview - The last game of the day will see the top-ranked team of the group (and the world) facing the lowest ranked team in Group C. World No. 1 USA will play No. 21 Ireland will play their first game of the competition. This will be the first time these two teams will play in a U-18 Women's Softball World Cup.

Canada 9 - 0 Mexico - Boxscore

Top 4th - Another big inning for Canada. A double, two walks and a pair of wild pitches allowed Canada to score two more runs with two outs in the board. Kenzie Hess added one more with a single. Canada lead 9-0.

Top 2nd - Canada exploded with six runs on six hits, five of them consecutive with two outs, to break the game open. Cece Brown drove in two, while Chantall Carriere, Cali Chapman and Jana Want collected an RBI single in the inning. It's 6-0 for Canada.

Bottom 1st - Morgan Reimer used 10 pitches, eight of them in the strike zone, to strike out the side. The game remain scoreless.

Top 1st - Acosta retires the first three Canadian hitters in line with a strikeout and a pair of grounders.

Starting pitchers - Lilianna Acosta (MEX) - Morgan Reimer (CAN)

Preview - Canada will take on Mexico in a very important game between the two North American rivals. They faced each other for the last time in a World Cup in 2019 in Irvine, USA, when Canada beat Mexico 4-0 in the Super Round of the tournament, in their way for their first ever medal in this age bracket. These two teams also faced each other in the Americas Qualifier earlier this year. Canada also won this game, 3-1. Since Game 1 has been delayed due to lightning activity, the game between Canada and Mexico will star 50 min after the finish of the first game.

Australia 7 - 4 Philippines - Boxscore

Top 7th - Australia loaded the bases but couldn't cash in as Rhiannon Smith hit a popup to shortstop to end the inning. Philippines will bat in the bottom of the seventh, losing 7-4.

Top 6th - Australia extend their lead to 7-4. An indy Munro RBI double and a grounder by Kate Luyten drove in two runs for Australia to ad a pair of insurance runs.

Bottom 5th - The Philippine bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run rally. Hanna Craighead, Erica Arnaiz and Rhea Manalo hit three consecutive singles to open the inning (the last two to drive in a run), before Mylia Perez sent a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run homer, making the game 5-4. Perez is 3-for-3 now, with a single, a double and a homer. She's a triple away from the cycle.

Bottom 4th - Pitching change in Australia. Olivia Durham replaced Jayda Lorigan, who pitched three innings with no runs allowed, two hits, a walk and three strikeouts.

4pm - Teams take the field and we're ready to resume the game after almost 2.5 hours or lightning delay.

3:45pm - We have both teams on the field warming up. We are 15 minutes away from resuming this game. We're in the top of the fourth, two outs, with Australia leading 5-0.

3:26pm - Lightning activity has moved beyond eight miles from The Village Dallas, so we're aiming to resume the game at 4pm local time.

3pm - The game is still delayed due to lightning in the area.

Top 4th - An error and a bunt-single by Angelique Iredale put two runners on with no outs, forcing a pitching change in Philippines. Angelica Latriz replacaed Callie Christian, but couldn't keep the runners from scoring as she allowed a sac fly to right field and a run scoring single by Indy Munro. With the game 5-0, a runner at second and two outs, we entered in a lightning delay (1:41pm local time). 

Bottom 3rd - The Philippines lead-off hitter Mylia Perez hits a two-out double into the left-center gap, but was stranded there as Australia's starter Jayda Lorigan struck out Kamille Beals. Perez is 2-for-2 for the game.

Top 2nd - Australia loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a double by Maya Gillies, and scored the second run of the game on a wild pitch. Rhiannon Smith grounded to third base, and was retired on first, driving in Gillies to make it 3-0 for Australia.

Top 1st - Angelique reached first base on a hit by pitch. Two outs later Kate Luyten drove her in with a single to center field to give Australia the early lead in the game.

Starting pitchers: Callie Christian (PHI) - Jayda Lorigan (AUS)

Preview - The first game of the day will see Australia and Philippines to face each other, making their debut in the event. They played for the last time in this kind of events in Nanjing 2003, when Australia defeated Philippines, 4-1. Australia finished with the bronze medal in this event, while Philippines ended ninth.