BASEBALL: Japan breezes to sixth straight women’s World Championship

Chinese Taipei had given five-time defending champion Japan its toughest game in the women’s Baseball World Cup, losing by 2-1 in the Super Round. But in the final, the Japanese left no doubt of who the champion was with a dominant, 6-0 win for another world title.

The champions took control right away with two runs in the first and one in the second for a 3-0 lead. With three runs in the fourth, Japanese ace Ayami Sato (five innings) and Akino Tanaka (two) had no trouble pitching a shutout. Chinese Taipei came up with six hits to Japan’s eight.

All of Japan’s hits were singles, and center fielder Iori Miura (1-2) and first baseman Yuki Kawabata (2-4) both drove in two runs.

Japan now owns six straight World Championships and with an 9-0 record in the 2018 tournament – played in Viera, Florida – has won 30 straight games in Worlds competition. Its last loss came way back on 12 August 2012, 5-2, to the United States. In 2018, Japan outscored its eight opponents by a 63-4 count and never yielded more than one run in any game!

Canada and the U.S. went to extra innings for the bronze medal, with the Canadians scoring five runs in the 10th inning for a 8-3 lead. The U.S. got two runs back, but lost 8-5 to finish fourth.

The final standings:

1. Japan (9-0)
2. Chinese Taipei (6-3)
3. Canada (6-3)
4. United States (6-3)
5. Venezuela (4-4)
6. Dominican Rep. (2-6)

7. Australia (5-3)
8. Cuba (4-4)
9. Puerto Rico (4-4)
10. Korea (2-6)
11. Hong Kong (2-6)
12. Netherlands (0-8)

The All-World Team included:

MVP: Ayami Sato (JPN P)
Pitcher: Chiao-Yun Huang (TPe)
Catcher: Shih-Yun Lee (TPE)
1B: Katherine Psota (CAN)
2B: Maigleth Torres (VEN)
SS: Adrix Paradizo (PUR)
3B: Chia-Hui Yang (TPE) LF: Kelsey Lalor (CAN)
CF: Iori Miura (JPN)
RF: Chia-Wen Shen (TPE)
DH: Megan Baltzell (USA)
Reliever: Megan Meidlinger (USA)
Defense: Nozomi Abe (JPN)

Check the tournament’s statistical leaders here.