The world governing body of baseball and softball, WBSC, today announced the pools and the official competition schedule of the XI Junior Women’s Softball World Championship that will be staged from 9-15 August at the newly renovated ASA Hall of Fame Complex in the Oklahoma state capital.
The 18 nations of the 2015 WBSC Junior Women’s Softball World Championship have been delegated to their respective pools and will open the event with a group round robin:
Pool A: China, Ecuador, Great Britain, Japan, Nigeria
Pool B: Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, USA
Pool C: Argentina, Australia, Czech Republic, Puerto Rico
Pool D: Canada, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Venezuela
The official tournament schedule features an exciting 85 world championship contests that will be concentrated into seven days of action.
Day 1 and 2 will feature round robin action of each pool. Nations will be battling to finish among the top two in their respective groups to advance into the championship round robin (2 pools) with the remaining teams advancing to the placement robin round (2 pools).
Day 3 and 4 will see a round robin of both the championship pools and the placement pools.
Day 5 and 6 will see the championship section continue through the double page playoff with the placement section continuing through a single elimination format.
Day 7 will showcase the bronze and gold medal games.
All 18 participating National Teams will be competing on Opening Day, with action opening on Saturday, 9 August at 09:00 local time.
Opening ceremonies will begin at 18:00 at the main competition field, which will be followed by Brazil taking on hosts USA.
The gold medal game will take centre stage on Saturday, 15 August at 19:30, and will be preceded by the bronze medal match at 17:00.
“The WBSC Junior Women’s Softball World Championship in Oklahoma City will be the centre of the softball universe, providing an important global platform for the top young women’s softball players from all corners of the world,” said WBSC Softball Division President Dale McMann. “Softball continues to be a sport that connects with women and young people, as highlighted by the one of the most diverse groups of nations that will be uniting this summer at the Junior Women’s World Championship.”
Universality
The 18 nations uniting at the 11th edition of the WBSC Junior Women’s Softball World Championship represent a global footprint that spans across the globe, including North-, South- and Central America and the Caribbean, as well as Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
Softball’s expanding global reach will be highlighted in Oklahoma City by Ecuador and Nigeria, both of whom will be making their historic softball world championship debuts, while the Colombian National Team will be competing in the junior softball world championship for the first time ever.
WBSC Secretary General Ms. Beng Choo Low said:
“The U19 Junior Women’s Softball World Championship will be a great platform to showcase our sport’s universality, youth appeal and commitment to gender equality, particularly during this time when a potential return of baseball/softball to the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020 is under review.”
The Japanese Junior Women’s National Softball Team is the current two-time defending U19 World Champion, following Japan’s gold medal performance in Brampton, Canada in 2013, where the world No. 1 defeated USA, 4-0. Oceania’s Australia earned the bronze medal in 2013.
WBSC Junior Women’s Softball World Championship in Oklahoma City
Live-Streaming
The world championship will also have web-streaming and play-by-play available, enhancing coverage of the youth softball showcase with real-time digital content to the ever expanding global audience.
All packages to watch the tournament — both in person and through web-streaming — are available through the tournament website: 2015jwwc.com.
The U19 world championship is being hosted by ASA/USA Softball, at their headquarters, marking the first time since 1995 the event will be played on U.S. soil.
The WBSC has a full list of official events on the calendar that span from June to November which include the Men’s Softball World Championship and Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the U12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Chinese Taipei, the U18 Men’s Baseball World Cup at Koshien Stadium in Japan, and the inaugural Premier 12 co-hosted by Japan and Chinese Taipei.
The world governing body of baseball and softball, the WBSC, has announced that the world-famous PEANUTS comic strip icon, Snoopy, will be the official Global Ambassador of the U12 Baseball World Cup 2015, being staged from 24 July – 2 August in Tainan, Chinese Taipei.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said Snoopy’s role with the 2015 U12 Baseball World Cup, the pinnacle platform that is the highest level of competition for 12-year-olds, can help to raise awareness and interest in sport amongst more young people, especially the ‘digital generation’.
The announcement was made at Daan Forest Park in Taipei City, alongside Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-Te, Taiwan Ministry of Education Deputy Director of Sports Administration Peng Tai-Ling and Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) Honorary President Tom Peng, and was followed by a U12 Baseball World Cup ‘live’ dance performance by the life-sized Snoopy and Charlie Brown.
WBSC President Fraccari speaks at 2015 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup press conference in Taipei. credit WSBC
“Baseball and softball support the IOC’s Agenda 2020 under President Thomas Bach, and the focus on youth and sport in society,” Fraccari said. “Snoopy is embraced by many different cultures and societies globally, and Snoopy’s involvement and promotion of the U12 Baseball World Cup can help produce a synergy that we hope can connect more young people with sport and the lasting teachings of sport — on and off the sports field.”
As part of his role as Global Ambassador of the WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup, Snoopy will be incorporated into the official look and logo of baseball’s 2015 U12 world championship, which will showcase the elite 12-year-old baseball players in the world playing for their National Teams.
Venues in Tainan, where the U12 World Cup will be hosted by the CTBA and City of Tainan through 2019, will have designated areas with signage featuring Snoopy and the rest of the PEANUTS Gang in iconic poses, playing baseball, for fans to visit and engage with as part of the attractions and to share selfies via social media from the 2015 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup III.
Snoopy Global Ambassador 2015 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup
In addition, Snoopy, who was both a player and manager of the PEANUTS comic strip baseball team, will visit the venues during U12 World Cup competition to interact with fans and deliver an unforgettable in-stadium experience in Tainan.
“Global events that attract and put the focus on the next generation of athletes and fans to grow our sport around the world is a top priority for the WBSC and all our sport’s stakeholders, particularly as we strive to earn a place for baseball and softball in the Olympic Games,” WBSC President Fraccari said. “Snoopy joining our team as the Global Ambassador for the 2015 U12 Baseball World Cup is in perfect alignment with the mission, values and objectives of the WBSC and our sport.
The U12 Baseball World Cup, now in its third edition, is one of several junior baseball and softball world championships in the portfolio of events conducted by the WBSC, which is hoping for the possible inclusion of baseball and softball at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
WBSC Baseball Marketing Director Masaru Yokoo said: “The WBSC is thrilled to have such an instantly recognisable icon, like Snoopy, on board as the Official Global Ambassador to shine the spotlight on the 2015 U12 Baseball World Cup. Snoopy and the entire PEANUTS Gang have a timeless and universal connection to people of all ages and to the sport of baseball, and that’s why we are extremely confident that the PEANUTS’ presence will help create an exciting atmosphere in Tainan for the teams and fans, and will help elevate brand recognition and the global appeal of the WBSC U12 Baseball World going forward.”
U12 Baseball World Cup Groups and Schedule Revealed
Snoopy Ambassador 2015 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup
The groups and competitions schedule for the WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup III were also revealed by the WBSC.
Group A Group B
No. 3 Cuba No. 1 Japan
No. 4 Chinese Taipei No. 2 USA
No. 8 South Korea No. 12 Mexico
No. 10 Venezuela No. 14 Australia
No. 15 Brazil No. 16 Nicaragua
No. 32 Russia No. 27 France
It is the first time in history that the top four nations in the world — Japan, USA, Cuba and Chinese Taipei — are featured together at the U12 World Cup. The elite world championship will also feature ten of the top 16 ranked nations in the world, setting the stage for a truly electrifying tournament.
Fifty contests will be scheduled to determine the 2015 U12 World Champions, starting with a group round robin. (See Official U12 World Cup Schedule)
Days 1 – 5 will see 30 games of round robin action, followed by a rest day. Nations will be battling to finish among the top three in their respective groups to advance into the “Super Round Robin”.
Days 7, 8 and 9 will feature the top three finishers from Group A colliding with the top three finishers from Group B in the elite nine-game Super Round Robin. The Super Round Robin is a continuation of the opening round-robin, as head-to-head matches and win/loss records against Super Group members carry over from the opening round robin.
On Day 10, the two Super Group nations with the best overall records will play in the gold medal finale on Sunday, 2 August, while the third- and fourth-place nations will play for bronze.
The nations not advancing to the Super Round Robin will be grouped together to battle for 7th – 12th place in the Consolation Round Robin.
The biannual U12 Baseball World Cup is the only international baseball tournament in this age group to feature National Teams, which are exclusive to WBSC and its Members.
The United States will be heading to Tainan as the defending U12 World Champions, having dethroned the 2011 U12 World Cup Champions Chinese Taipei in 2013.
As an official world championship event, the results of the U12 World Cup have impact on baseball’s official world rankings. The 2015 U12 Baseball World Cup will begin the 4-year world rankings cycle that will eventually determine the qualified nations for the 2019 Premier 12™, a flagship event that could potentially serve as an Olympic qualifier, if baseball and softball are put forward and added to the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The WBSC has a full list of official events on the calendar in 2015, including the Men’s Softball World Championship and Pan American Games in Canada, the U12 Baseball World Cup, the U19 Women’s Softball World Championship in Oklahoma City, USA, the U18 Men’s Baseball World Cup at historic Koshien Stadium in Japan, and the inaugural Premier 12™, co-hosted by Japan and Chinese Taipei.
Nominations Announced For Davis Cup By BNP Paribas World Group first Round And Zone Group Ties
The ITF has announced the official team nominations for the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round and Zone Group ties taking place on 6-8 March. A total of 33 ties will be held next week.
Live scoring for the World Group first round ties will be available on the official Davis Cup website throughout the weekend. In addition, the English and Spanish versions of the website will feature a live blog, reports, photographs, audio interviews and live streaming. There will also be a fan zone showing the best social media content on http://www.daviscup.com/showyourcolours
WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND
GERMANY v FRANCE
Venue: Fraport Arena, Frankfurt, GER (hard – indoor)
Germany
Philipp Kohlschreiber
Benjamin Becker
Jan-Lennard Struff
Andre Begemann
Captain: Michael Kohlmann
France
Gilles Simon
Gael Monfils
Richard Gasquet
Nicolas Mahut
Captain: Arnaud Clement
GREAT BRITAIN v USA
Venue: Emirates Arena, Glasgow, GBR (hard – indoor)
Great Britain
Andy Murray
James Ward
Dominic Inglot
Jamie Murray
Captain: Leon Smith
USA
John Isner
Donald Young
Mike Bryan
Bob Bryan
Captain: Jim Courier
CZECH REPUBLIC v AUSTRALIA
Venue: Cez Arena, Ostrava, CZE (hard – indoor)
Czech Republic
Lukas Rosol
Jiri Vesely
Jan Mertl
Adam Pavlasek
Captain: Jaroslav Navratil
Australia
Nick Kyrgios
Bernard Tomic
Samuel Groth
Lleyton Hewitt
Captain: Wally Masur
KAZAKHSTAN v ITALY
Venue: National Tennis Centre, Astana, KAZ (hard – indoor)
Kazakhstan
Mikhail Kukushkin
Andrey Golubev
Aleksandr Nedovyesov
Dmitry Popko
Captain: Dias Doskarayev
Italy
Fabio Fognini
Andreas Seppi
Simone Bolelli
Paolo Lorenzi
Captain: Corrado Barazzutti
ARGENTINA v BRAZIL
Venue: Tecnopolis, Buenos Aires, ARG (clay – outdoor)
Argentina
Leonardo Mayer
Federico Delbonis
Diego Schwartzmann
Carlos Berlocq
Captain: Daniel Orsanic
Brazil
Thomaz Bellucci
Joao Souza
Marcelo Melo
Bruno Soares
Captain: Joao Zwetsch
SERBIA v CROATIA
Venue: Kraljevo Sports Centre, Kraljevo, SRB (hard – indoor)
Serbia
Novak Djokovic
Viktor Troicki
Filip Krajinovic
Nenad Zimonjic
Captain: Bogdan Obradovic
CANADA v JAPAN
Venue: Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Vancouver, CAN (hard – indoor)
Canada
Milos Raonic
Vasek Pospisil
Frank Dancevic
Daniel Nestor
Captain: Martin Laurendeau
Japan
Kei Nishikori
Go Soeda
Tatsuma Ito
Yasutaka Uchiyama
Captain: Minoru Ueda
BELGIUM v SWITZERLAND
Venue: Country Hall du Sart Tilman, Liege, BEL (hard – indoor)
Belgium
David Goffin
Steve Darcis
Ruben Bemelmans
Niels Desein
Captain: Johan van Herck
Switzerland
Yann Marti
Adrien Bossel
Henri Laaksonen
Michael Lammer
Captain: Severin Luthi
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from France at practice before the Davis Cup final between France and Switzerland, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille, on November 19, 2014. Photo by Corinne Dubreuil/ABACAPRESS.COM
AMERICAS ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND
BARBADOS v DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Venue: National Tennis Centre, St Michael, BAR (hard – outdoor)
Barbados
Darian King
Haydn Lewis
Seanon Williams
Russell Moseley
Captain: Kevin Yarde
Dominican Republic
Victor Estrella
Jose Hernandez
Jose Olivares
Manuel Castellanos
Captain: Rafael Moreno
AMERICAS ZONE GROUP I SECOND ROUND
URUGUAY v COLOMBIA
Venue: Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club, Montevideo, URU (clay – outdoor)
Uruguay
Pablo Cuevas
Martin Cuevas
Rodrigo Senattore
Ariel Behar
Captain: Enrique Perez-Cassarino
Colombia
Santiago Giraldo
Alejandro Gonzalez
Juan-Sebastian Cabal
Robert Farah
Captain: Mauricio Hadad
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND
THAILAND v KOREA, REP.
Venue: The National Tennis Development Center, Nonthaburi, THA (hard – outdoor)
World governing body WBSC announced today a landmark agreement that awards Tainan City, Chinese Taipei the hosting rights of the next three editions (2015, 2017, 2019) of the WBSC Under-12 Baseball World Cup, which is the only international baseball tournament in this age group (11-12 years old) to feature National Teams (along with the U12 World Cup continental qualifiers), and is the only world championship tournament in all of sports at this age level.
Cuba at the Inaugural 2011 U12 Baseball World Cup. WBSC
WBSC also revealed the qualified nations and dates for the 2015 U18 and U12 Baseball World Cups — the highest and most elite competition platforms for baseball players in these age groups.
WBSC leadership hailed the latest breakthrough agreement on the U12 World Cup, which follows last week’s major announcements on WBSC’s new flagship professional world championship — Premier 12™ — as key indicators that baseball and softball’s National Team international competitions, which are exclusive to WBSC and its Members, continue to gain a foothold among athletes, hosts, fans, broadcasters and sponsors in the sporting world’s highly competitive marketplace.
While traditionally awarding each edition of the Baseball World Cup to new host countries, WBSC leaders cited the sustainability, reduced costs and streamlined operational planning in awarding Tainan the next three editions of the U12 World Cup, which will also maximise returns and the legacy for the host city, WBSC leaders said.
The new approach, specific to the WBSC U12 World Cup, which WBSC leaders regard as having “tremendous potential to mature into one of the baseball’s biggest international showcases”, will present new opportunities to enhance and tailor long-term partnerships and sponsorship strategies for all concerned stakeholders, WBSC officials highlighted.
2015 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup XXVII — Japan
It was also announced that the 2015 WBSC U18 World Cup will be staged from 28 August – 06 September, with the “Mecca of Japanese Baseball” — historic Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya built in 1924 — serving as an iconic backdrop for the world’s best 18-year-old baseball players and future superstars.
KOR vs USA at the 2013 U12 Baseball World Cup.WBSC
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is adjusting the Hanshin Tigers’ home schedule at the legendary 47,000-seat (Hanshin) Koshien Stadium to accommodate and further add to the prestige of the WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup — and to honour the best young baseball players in the world and help drive a magical in-stadium fan-experience.
The nations heading to Koshien Stadium have been finalised after the first-ever U18 World Cup continental qualifiers in Africa (Mera, Kenya) and Oceania (Auckland, New Zealand) concluded this past weekend. The historic qualifiers were regarded by WBSC leadership as “key breakthroughs in baseball/softball’s global evolution that unite the U18 Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania continental championships”.
The U18 World Cup in Japan will feature seven out of the Top 10 nations in the world, and eleven out of the Top 20, making for one of the most competitive U18 World Cups on record.
The powerful bloc of U18 World Cup qualified nations represents a global footprint that spans across the entire western hemisphere, Africa, Asia, Central and Southern Europe, and Oceania:
Americas (North-, Central- and South America, and the Caribbean): Two-time defending U18 World Champions No. 2 USA, No. 3 Cuba, No. 7 Canada, No. 12 Mexico and No. 16 Brazil.
Africa: No. 29 South Africa
Asia: No. 1 Japan, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 South Korea
Europe: No. 11 Italy and No. 20 Czech Republic
Oceania: No. 14 Australia
2015 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup
WBSC officials are confident the 2015 U18 World Cup’s broadcast and online/mobile reach will surpass the record broadcast numbers of its 2013 U18 World Cup predecessor — which had a potential broadcast reach of 144 million homes and potential online/mobile reach of 20 million, based on reports furnished by leading media rights agency and WBSC broadcast partner MP & Silva. WBSC leaders base forecasts on the strength of the 2015 U18 World Cup nations, as well as the current positive audience growth trends for international baseball properties that feature WBSC’s Members’ National Teams.
U18 Global launching pad for future stars
The biennial U18 world championship showcase has featured some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Canada’s Brett Lawrie, Japan’s Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani, South Korea’s Shin-soo Choo, Cuba’s Yasiel Puig and Aroldis Chapman, and USA’s Justin Upton and Buster Posey, among countless others. The most recent generation of rising stars include Cuba’s Jorge Soler, USA’s Francisco Lindor and Canada’s Dalton Pompey, all of whom played at the 2010 U18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada (which will return as host for the 2017 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup).
World Baseball Softball Confederation
2015 WBSC U12 Baseball World Cup III — Nations and Dates
The third edition of the U12 Baseball World Cup, which will showcase the best 12-year-old baseball players in the world, will take place from 24 July to 2 August in Tainan City, with the United States, “Team USA”, entering as the defending U12 World Champions.
The twelve nations qualified for 2015 U12 Baseball World Cup represent a global expansion that includes a first-ever representative from Oceania:
Americas: No. 2 USA, No. 3 Cuba, No. 10 Venezuela, No. 12 Mexico, No. 13 Panama and No. 16 Nicaragua Asia: No. 1 Japan, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 South Korea Europe: No. 27 France and No. 32 Russia Oceania: No. 14 Australia
Added excitement will surround this year’s U18 and U12 World Cups, which kick-off the 4-year world rankings cycle — as points earned from these events will be the first to go toward the world rankings that will eventually determine the qualified nations for the 2019 Premier 12™ Pro Baseball World Championship.
Logos, groupings and tournament schedules for the U18 and U12 Baseball World Cups will be unveiled in future announcements.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari announced that Taipei City and Taichung are the latest cities to join — alongside Tokyo, Japan — as hosts for the 2015 WBSC Premier 12™ World Baseball Championship that will debut later this year from 8-21 November.
The new flagship quadrennial event will feature the Men’s Professional National Teams from the Top 12 nations (the “Premier 12”) in the world and will award US$ millions in prize money, in addition to distributing the highest amount of world ranking points of any international baseball event, making it the world’s highest platform for WBSC’s members’ National Baseball Teams.
World Baseball Softball Confederation
The additions of Taipei City and Taichung — world-class baseball cities that have successfully staged major international baseball competitions, such as the WBSC-sanctioned World Baseball Classic — to the line-up of host cities for the inaugural Premier 12 follows a landmark agreement between WBSC and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) that will see the semi-finals and finals of the Premier 12 be staged at the iconic 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome.
The WBSC-NPB partnership will also see the world No. 1 Japanese National Team — a “Samurai Japan” roster that will be filled with Japan’s biggest names in the sport — play their first Premier 12 contest in Japan, before travelling to Chinese Taipei for the Official 2015 WBSC Premier 12 Opening Ceremonies and full round-robin action.
Together, Taipei and Taichung will be the site of 29 of the 30 opening round-robin games and the first knockout stage: the quarterfinals.
With Taipei, Taichung and Tokyo engaging in collaborations, and the event featuring baseball’s twelve best nations in the world, WBSC leadership believes that the newest global baseball showcase will be positioned for success and capable of attaining record broadcast reach, further exposing the sport to new audiences and future generations of athletes.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari indicated that the wave of major milestones that the new Premier 12 has surpassed in a relatively short period highlights the growing appeal and marketability of global competitions, like the new Premier 12, that feature baseball’s best National Teams and give the best players in the world an opportunity to represent their countries.
The world governing body leader also said the progress of the Premier 12 is a timely boost following the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms passed last month, particularly with Tokyo’s enthusiasm to co-host the 2015 Premier 12 in one of Japan’s most iconic venues.
The twelve qualified nations for the inaugural Premier 12 in 2015 are (by World Rank): No. 1 Japan, No. 2 USA, No. 3 Cuba, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 5 Netherlands, No. 6 Dominican Republic, No. 7 Canada, No. 8 South Korea, No. 9 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Venezuela, No. 11 Italy and No. 12. Mexico.
— Iconic Tokyo Dome to stage 2015 Premier 12 Semi-finals and Finals– Official Logo, Tournament Dates for Premier 12 Flagship Event Unveiled in Tokyo
— Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games High on WBSC Agenda
The President of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Riccardo Fraccari, and the Commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Katsuhiko Kumazaki, have agreed on a partnership that will bring the inaugural WBSC Premier 12™ to Japan in November, it was announced today at a press conference in Japan’s capital city.
Under the partnership, NPB — the 2nd highest-attended major sports league in the world in 2014, with nearly 23 million fans filling venues for NPB’s 80th anniversary season — will host a special grand opening contest, the semi-finals, and medal round of the WBSC’s new flagship professional baseball world championship featuring the Men’s National Teams from the Top 12-ranked nations (the “Premier 12”) in the world and will award US$ millions in prize money, in addition to distributing the highest amount of world ranking points of any international baseball event.
Following in a series of blockbuster announcements, the iconic Tokyo Dome was named as the crown jewel venue that will host the 2015 WBSC Premier 12 semi-finals, bronze medal contest and the decisive gold medal finale. It was also revealed that a “secret” location will be announced in the coming weeks for the grand opening of the 2015 Premier 12 in Japan, along with special opening ceremonies.
“The iconic Tokyo Dome is a symbol of Japan and of baseball,” said President Fraccari, “and it is one the world’s leading stadiums for staging some the biggest events in sport and entertainment, which not only reinforces but further defines the Premier 12 brand ahead of its launch.”
The world governing body leader said he was honoured to strengthen ties with one of the sporting world’s most successful leagues and have the 2015 Premier 12 co-hosted across two of baseball’s most important territories.
“I thank NPB Commissioner Kumazaki for this landmark partnership, which will help drive the launch, reach and overall viewership of the inaugural WBSC Premier 12 this November into the hundreds of millions,” said President Fraccari, “and, I am particularly proud of how we were able to work together with all the various stakeholders to get this done and have Premier 12 co-hosted by two nations where our sport is the established leader among athletes, fans, sponsors, and can generate record viewer ratings and engaging in-stadium experiences.”
The opening Round-Robin (except for the special grand opening contest in Japan) and quarterfinals of the Premier 12 will be staged in Chinese Taipei.
Said NPB Commissioner Kumazaki: “This partnership sends a strong signal that we are united behind WBSC President Fraccari and share his global vision for international competitions and the Premier 12. This is a great privilege and responsibility for NPB, and we have every confidence in the success of the WBSC Premier 12. NPB is committed to — in strong partnership with WBSC — further raising the profile of WBSC-sanctioned international events, particularly those that feature National Teams and that showcase our sport and our athletes playing for their countries on the global stage like the Premier 12.”
PREMIER 12 LOGO UNVEILED
Amid a wave of major announcements already changing the course and history of the WBSC Premier 12, the first-ever presentation of the Official WBSC Premier 12 logo was unveiled by short video presentation.
The same United Kingdom-based group (The Works Ltd) responsible for the official looks of such elite properties as the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League Finals has been appointed to deliver a truly global look and feel, and electrifying atmosphere for the 2015 WBSC Premier 12, including all Fanzones. The unique features of the modern logo include 12 stars that symbolise the world’s 12 best baseball nations that make up the identity and will compete in the Premier 12.
2015 PREMIER 12 DATES ANNOUNCED
WBSC officials stressed the aim of this flagship world baseball championship is to be an exciting sprint that covers only nine total days of competition, as the dates of the inaugural WBSC Premier 12 were revealed: 8-21 November.
While the schedule and groups of the 2015 WBSC Premier 12 will be released at a later date, the grand opening, under the new co-hosting agreement, will showcase the top stars on the World No. 1 Japanese National Baseball Team, “Samurai Japan”, and will likely draw a sold-out stadium and kick-off Premier 12 with a frenzy among fans and media alike.
PREMIER 12 LAUNCH HERALDS “NEW ERA”
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari credit ibaf.org
President Fraccari said the launch of Premier 12 reflected an exciting new period for world baseball and softball, highlighted by the rapid development and expansion of baseball and softball, and leading to the emergence of a new world order in baseball and softball.
“This is giving rise to a golden era of global growth amongst fans, sponsors, broadcasters and especially among young people and women interested in playing and following baseball and softball worldwide, particularly in new markets in Europe, the Middle East, as well as in South America and Africa, and in Asia,” President Fraccari said.
President Fraccari said that inclusion of baseball and softball at the Olympic Games, which he described as “the greatest sporting stage and spectacle in the world”, was a central goal in this new era.
Finishing only behind wrestling at a 2013 International Olympic Committee vote for inclusion on the Olympic programme and following the endorsement of IOC President Thomas Bach’s Agenda 2020 reforms late last year, the WBSC will look to apply for further consideration for possible inclusion at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he said.
“I believe that Japan’s passion for baseball and softball, if included at the Tokyo 2020 Games, will unite and engage the entire Olympic host nation of Japan behind the Games and the Olympic ideals of sport in society — as well as honour Japan’s sporting heritage,” he said.
“The inclusion of baseball and softball at Tokyo 2020 will also make the Olympic Games, the Olympic magic and values more relevant and accessible to millions of new and loyal baseball and softball fans and players in the growing list of nations where baseball and softball are now part of the sporting landscape in the 21st century and continuing to grow in popularity.”
World Baseball Softball Confederation
PREMIER 12 NATIONS AND GLOBAL SPREAD
The twelve qualified nations for the inaugural Premier 12 in 2015 were announced in November 2014 and form an elite and global group (by World Rank): No. 1 Japan, No. 2 USA, No. 3 Cuba, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 5 Netherlands, No. 6 Dominican Republic, No. 7 Canada, No. 8 South Korea, No. 9 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Venezuela, No. 11 Italy and No. 12. Mexico.
The 2015 Premier 12 will have a global footprint that spreads across the entire western hemisphere — North, Central- and South America, and the Caribbean — Asia, and Northern and Southern Europe. Oceania’s No. 14 Australia, which had been ranked as high as No. 10 in 2012, finished just 8.96 rankings points behind No. 12 Mexico.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) unveiled the line-up of the world’s best-ranked nations that have qualified for the first-ever “Premier 12” — the new flagship pro baseball world championship that will feature the National Teams from baseball’s 12 highest-ranked nations and become baseball’s highest-ranked international competition, awarding US$ multi-millions in prize money.
The Top 12 nations that have secured a place in the inaugural Premier 12 in 2015 is headlined by:
World Baseball Softball Confederation
No. 1 Japan,
No. 2 USA
No. 3 Cuba
No. 4 Chinese Taipei
No. 5 Netherlands
No. 6 Dominican Republic
No. 7 Canada
No. 8 South Korea
No. 9 Puerto Rico
No. 10 Venezuela
No. 11 Italy
No. 12. Mexico.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari celebrated baseball’s first-ever collection of Premier 12 nations.
“WBSC congratulates the 2015 Class of Premier 12 nations and the athletes who helped lift their countries to be among the Top 12,” Fraccari said. “These nations represent baseball’s best that will unite and deliver an exciting — and unmatched competitive parity — at the inaugural Premier 12. Any one of these elite nations can come out victorious in 2015 and leave The Premier 12 as the reigning World Champion.”
The unveiling of baseball’s most powerful bloc of nations follows the end-of-the-year calculation of the Official 2014 WBSC World Baseball Rankings, as the final standings of the rankings in the year preceding The Premier 12 serve as the exclusive qualifying method into the international baseball showcase.
Phenom Shohei Ohtani (100+ mph fastball with NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters) will likely be one of the Samurai selected to help Japan battle for the 2015 Premier 12 World Title.
The release of the 2014 WBSC World Baseball Rankings also marks the historic rise of the Japanese National Baseball Team, Samurai Japan, which for the first time ever is the world No. 1, surpassing 2013 leader USA.
The inaugural Premier 12 participants will represent a global spread that includes the entire western hemisphere — North-, Central- and South America, and the Caribbean — Asia, and Northern and Southern Europe. Oceania’s No. 14 Australia, which had been ranked as high as No. 10 in 2012, was just 8.96 rankings points behind No. 12 Mexico.
All WBSC’s world championship platforms — from the U-12, U-15, U-18 and U-21 Baseball World Cups to the 2013 World Baseball Classic and sanctioned/recognised international competitions have shaped the rankings and qualification into the 2015 Premier 12.
The Premier 12 logo, and 2015 tournament dates, are expected to be unveiled at an upcoming press conference.
Following the 2015 Premier 12, the world championship platform that unites the world’s 12 best nations will be rolled out every four years.
The ITF has announced the results for the two Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Zone Group I second round play-off ties taking place on 24-26 October.
New Zealand defeated Chinese Taipei 4-1 and Sweden overcame Latvia 3-2. New Zealand and Sweden remain in Zone Group I in 2015, while Chinese Taipei and Latvia are relegated to Zone Group II next year.
The draw for the 2015 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group II will be held at the ITF offices in London at 10:00 (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday 29 October. The seeds will be based on the new ITF Davis Cup Nations Ranking of Monday 27 October.
NEW ZEALAND defeated CHINESE TAIPEI 4-1
Venue: Z Energy Wilding Park Tennis Centre, Christchurch, NZL (hard – indoor)
Jose Statham (NZL) d. Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) 61 62 63
Michael Venus (NZL) d. Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE) 76(5) 76(3) 62
Marcus Daniell/Artem Sitak (NZL) d. Peng Hsien-Yin/Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE) 60 64 62
Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) d. Artem Sitak (NZL) 63 57 62
Marcus Daniell (NZL) d. Hung Jui-Chen (TPE) 76(3) 75
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I SECOND ROUND PLAY-OFF
SWEDEN defeated LATVIA 3-2
Venue: Racketcentrum, Jonkoping, SWE (hard – indoor)
Martins Podzus (LAT) d. Elias Ymer (SWE) 76(3) 75 67(5) 36 97
Christian Lindell (SWE) d. Janis Podzus (LAT) 76(5) 46 76(3) 76(7)
Johan Brunstrom/Robert Lindstedt (SWE) d. Mikelis Libietis/Martins Podzus (LAT) 64 62 36 46 63
Martins Podzus (LAT) d. Christian Lindell (SWE) 64 67(3) 64 62
Elias Ymer (SWE) d. Janis Podzus (LAT) 75 67(7) 63 64
The ITF has announced the latest results for the two Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Zone Group I second round play-off ties taking place on 24-26 October.
The two winners of these ties will remain in Zone Group I in 2015, while the two losers will be relegated to 2015 Zone Group II.
The draw for the 2015 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group II will be held at the ITF offices in London at 10:00 (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday 29 October. The seeds will be based on the new ITF Davis Cup Nations Ranking of 27 October.
NEW ZEALAND defeated CHINESE TAIPEI 3-0
Venue: Z Energy Wilding Park Tennis Centre, Christchurch, NZL (hard – indoor)
Jose Statham (NZL) d. Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) 61 62 63
Michael Venus (NZL) d. Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE) 76(5) 76(3) 62
Marcus Daniell/Artem Sitak (NZL) d. Peng Hsien-Yin/Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE) 60 64 62
Michael Venus (NZL) v Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE)
Jose Statham (NZL) v Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE)
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I SECOND ROUND PLAY-OFF
SWEDEN leads LATVIA 2-1
Venue: Racketcentrum, Jonkoping, SWE (hard – indoor)
Martins Podzus (LAT) d. Elias Ymer (SWE) 76(3) 75 67(5) 36 97
Christian Lindell (SWE) d. Janis Podzus (LAT) 76(5) 46 76(3) 76(7)
Johan Brunstrom/Robert Lindstedt (SWE) d. Mikelis Libietis/Martins Podzus (LAT) 64 62 36 46 63
Christian Lindell (SWE) v Martins Podzus (LAT)
Elias Ymer (SWE) v Janis Podzus (LAT)
The ITF has announced the draws for the two Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Zone Group I second round play-off ties taking place on 24-26 October.
The two winners of these ties will remain in Zone Group I in 2015, while the two losers will be relegated to 2015 Zone Group II.
The draw for the 2015 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group II will be held at the ITF offices in London at 10:00 (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday 29 October. The seeds will be based on the new ITF Davis Cup Nations Ranking of 27 October.
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP I SECOND ROUND PLAY-OFF
NEW ZEALAND v CHINESE TAIPEI Venue: Z Energy Wilding Park Tennis Centre, Christchurch, NZL (hard – indoor)
Jose Statham (NZL) v Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE)
Michael Venus (NZL) v Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE)
Marcus Daniell/Artem Sitak (NZL) v Hung Jui-Chen/Peng Hsien-Yin (TPE)
Michael Venus (NZL) v Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE)
Jose Statham (NZL) v Wang Chieh-Fu (TPE)
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I SECOND ROUND PLAY-OFF
SWEDEN v LATVIA Venue: Racketcentrum, Jonkoping, SWE (hard – indoor)
Elias Ymer (SWE) v Martins Podzus (LAT)
Christian Lindell (SWE) v Janis Podzus (LAT)
Johan Brunstrom/Robert Lindstedt (SWE) v Mikelis Libietis/Mikus Losbergs (LAT)
Christian Lindell (SWE) v Martins Podzus (LAT)
Elias Ymer (SWE) v Janis Podzus (LAT)
– Softball world title staged in Europe for first time showcases growth of women’s sport in new markets
Japan defeated the United States, 4-1, to win the first ever Women’s Softball World Championship held in Europe, highlighting softball’s continued expansion beyond traditional geographic boundaries as one of the world’s most commercially successful, and popular spectator and participation sports for women, young girls and families.
Australia earned the bronze to spread the medal distribution of the women’s championship among the Americas, Asia and Oceania.
“We are developing the sports of softball and baseball in many areas such as the Muslim world, in Africa, and in Europe where interest, awareness, and club numbers and players are continuing to grow on this historic, sports loving continent, the cradle of modern sport,”said World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President, Riccardo Fraccari.
Japan, the 2008 Olympic softball champions, finished softball’s pinnacle global event with a perfect tournament record of 10-0, fueling further national speculation, interest and excitement in Japan about the possible inclusion of softball and baseball, the two most popular sports in the 2020 Olympic host nation, at the Tokyo Games.
With the Olympic sports selection process up for discussion at the IOC Session in Monaco in December, leadership of the WBSC, the recently merged international baseball and softball confederation, remains committed to working with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers to earn the honour of having the sports included at the Olympic Games.
“Japan, like many other countries around the world, is a baseball and softball nation, and we are doing all we can to maximize the added-value that our bat-and-ball sports would deliver to the Olympic Games,” President Fraccari said.
“We believe that the deep national history, pride and passion for baseball and softball in Japan, at all levels of Japanese society, would enable these sports to bring great value and enhance the Olympic experience at the Tokyo Games and for the 2020 Olympic host nation of Japan.”
“The ten-day spectacle of women’s sport highlighted softball’s growing global popularity as one of the world’s premier sports for women,” said Dale McMann, WBSC Executive Vice President.
Japan defeated the United States, 4-1, to win the first ever Women’s Softball World Championship
The XIV Women’s Softball Championship featured sixteen national teams — the maximum allowed — from five world regions, and included Australia, Botswana, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Russia and United States.
“This was a premium event, with teams from three different continents in the top three,” said Low Beng Choo, WBSC Secretary General.
“The medal distribution from the Americas to Asia and Oceania highlights the global spread and excellence of the sport and the athletes, and increases opportunities and awareness of women’s sport,” Low said.
The attention will now shift to Miyazaki, Japan for the ENEOS Presents Women’s Baseball World Cup 2014, which begins September 1.
Japan defeated the United States, 4-1, to win the first ever Women’s Softball World Championship..
* 14th Women’s Softball World Championship
Final Standings
1. Japan
2. United States
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Chinese Taipei
6. Netherlands
7. China
8. New Zealand
9. Cuba
Italy
11. Czech Republic
12. Dominican Republic
13. Russia
14. Botswana
15. Puerto Rico
16. Great Britain
Day 7 of the XIV Women’s World Championship in Haarlem (The Netherlands) saw the conclusion of the preliminary round, resulting in the final decisions for the ranking in the two groups.
During the course of the day, as the final games were played in Groups A and B, four more teams qualified for the Championship Round, which opens on Friday, August 22.
The eight teams that didn’t made the top-4 in their group will play in the Consolation Round, which also begins on Friday.
Japan, USA, Australia and Canada, the top-4 of the 2012 World Championship in Whitehorse (Canada) already had secured their spot in the next round. Today, they got company from China and New Zealand from Group A and Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands from Group B.
Japan, USA, Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands also were in the play-offs in 2010 and 2012. New Zealand returns to the top-8 for the first time since 2002 when the event was held in Saskatoon (Canada).
Day 7 had a remarkable feat today. It not only was the seventh day of the Championship, the first six games today all ended with a 7-run difference, five of them having a 7-0 score, the other an 8-1 score.
Game 49: Dominican Republic vs. Australia, 0-7 (6 inn.)
Australia concluded play in Group B with a 7-0 victory against the Dominican Republic. Pitchers Kaia Parnaby and Jocelyn McCallum, who both threw three innings, pitched a combined no-hitter.
Australia initially was held scoreless in the first two innings by Geovanny Nunez, despite threatening in the first at-bat when it loaded the bases. Stacey Porter led off with a double and Melinda Weaver followed with a bunt single. With two outs, Jade Wall walked, but Geovanny Nunez (who made her fourth start for the Dominican squad) then ended the inning with a strike out.
Australia then struck with four runs on four hits in the third inning. Stacey Porter again led off with a double and Melinda Weaver was safe on her sacrifice bunt/fielder’s choice, resulting in runners on second and third base. A sacrifice fly by Jodie Bowering and single by Rachel Lack then accounted for the first two runs. Moments later, Taylah Tsitsikronis added a 2-run triple to make it 4-0.
In the sixth, Australia added three runs. Taylah Tsitsikronis accomplished a rare feat by hitting her second triple in the game, then scored on a wild pitch. Hereafter, Australia loaded the bases on three consecutive singles, then a ground out by Melinda Weaver and a sac-fly by Rachel Lack lifted the lead to 7-0, which was enough to end the game via the run-ahead rule. After today’s games, Rachel Lack leads the event with eleven runs batted in.
W-Jocelyn McCallum (1-0), L-Geovanny Nunez (1-3)
Game 50: Cuba vs. Canada, 0-7
Canada also completed play in Group A with a 7-0 shut out victory against Cuba. Canada collected 12 base hits off of two pitchers, including three by Caitlin Lever, who was batting .500 before today’s games and by adding the three hits, she raised it to .556. Stacey Porter leads the team and the tournament with a .636 average. The World Championship record is .667. Cuba registered three hits, which were all hit off of starter Sara Groenewegen, who threw the first three innings for Canada.
Canada opened the score right away in the first inning with two runs. Joey Lye led off with a single, Megan Timpf was hit by a pitch and Jennifer Yee also singled to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Kaleigh Rafter and grounder by Caitlin Lever then gave Canada an early lead.
After two scoreless innings, two more runs were added in the fourth at-bat. Caitlin Lever and Jennifer Gilbert (who had both singled) then respectively scored on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Erika Polidori.
A double by Caitlin Lever raised the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning, then two more Canadian runs followed in the seventh at-bat, thanks to a 2-run triple by Erika Polidori.
Cuba reached base for the first time in the first inning when Diamela Puentes singled with one out, but then the Canadian defense turned a double play on the following line drive. Cuba then got into scoring position in the second inning, but the runner was left behind on second base. In the third inning, at that moment trailing only 2-0, Cuba got its first two batters to reach base when Johandra Espinosa walked and Yilian Rondon singled. The two were in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt, but a strike out and pick-off then ended Cuba’s scoring chances.
The Cuban offense was retired in order from the fourth inning on, then got a final chance in the seventh when pinch-hitter Ludisleidis Napoles reached on an error. She was stranded, as a ground out ended the game.
W-Karissa Hovinga (2-0), L-Anisley Lopez (2-1).
Game 51: USA vs. Italy, 7-0 (5 inn.)
The United States remained unbeaten by winning 7-0 vs. Italy. This was the third consecutive game today that ended with a 7-0 score. It also resulted in the second no-hitter today, as USA pitchers Jackie Traina (4 innings) and Sara Nevins (1 inning) didn’t gave up any hits to Italy.
Traina, who has been named an All-American in all of her four seasons at the University of Alabama, struck out seven batters in the four innings she pitched. Nevins struck out the side in the fifth inning.
Team USA scored two runs in each of the first three innings. In the first at-bat, Raven Chavanne led off with a single, then scored on an one-out single by Lauren Gibson, who later scored herself on an error.
In the second inning, Kellie Fox hit an one-out inside the park home run. With two outs, Raven Chavanne singled and Kelsey Stewart doubled, then an error also accounted for the second run in this at-bat.
In the next at-bat, two more runs were scored. Amanda Chidester led off with her third home run of the tournament. Two years ago, she set a World Championship record with five home runs. She then also set a new record with 14 runs scored. After Chidester’s home run, Hallie Wilson tripled and scored on a single by Haylie McCleney.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, USA got the bases loaded with two outs, then Destinee Martinez hit a walk-off single, as it increased the lead to 7-0, enough to finish the game through the run-ahead rule.
Jackie Traina retired the first 10 batters she faced, then walked Elisa Grifagno with one out in the fourth inning. She would be the lone Italian runner in this game.
Game 52: China vs. Russia, 8-1 (6 inn.)
China won 8-1 against Russia, who therefore was eliminated for the play-offs. With the win, China became the third team from Group A to qualify for the Championship Round.
China decided the game early with a 5-run rally in the first inning. The Asian squad had five base hits in this at-bat, four of them extra base hits. It all began with a lead-off triple by Jia Chen, followed by a double by Huan Li and RBI-single by Ying Lu. With two outs, Ruomeng Guo also tripled to bring in the third run. An error and a double by Jia Guo then lifted the lead to 5-0 moments later.
Russia got one run back in the third via a single by Tatiana Zhuchkova, but China answered witth two more runs in its third at-bat. The first was scored on a passed ball, the second on a single by Jingjing Yuan.
Trailing 7-1, Russia got a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning and sixth inning, but was unable to add more runs in this game.
China then reached the 7-run difference in the home of the sixth when Huan Li led off with a single and scored on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Qianwen Feng, therefore ending the game.
Lan Wang made her fifth start and sixth appearance for China. She struck out four batters in two innings, then was relieved by Lingling Jin in the third. The latter, who made her first pitching appearance of the tournament, became the winning pitcher.
W-Lingling Jin (1-0), L-Ekaterina Eronina (1-2).
World Baseball Softball Confederation
Game 53: Chinese Taipei vs. Great Britain, 7-0 (5 inn.)
Chinese Taipei shut out Great Britain 7-0 and with that decided the outcome in Group B. With the win, the Asians qualified themselves for the play-offs, but also secured a spot for The Netherlands. In case of an eventual loss later in the day against Botswana, the Netherlands would end up in a three-way tie with the Dominican Republic and Italy, who were both defeated by the Dutch.
The first two innings remained scoreless, Chinese Taipei scored twice in the third at-bat. With one out, Hsiang Yun Wang walked and Pei Chun Lin bunt singled. The bases got loaded with two outs when Hui Wen Huang also walked, then two runs were scored on a following single by Hsueh Mei Lu.
A single by Hsiang Yun Wang brought in another run in the fourth and Taipei then rallied for four runs in the fifth inning to reach the run-ahead difference needed to end the game. With one out, Hui Wen Huang singled and Hsueh Mei Lu followed with a run scoring double. Lu was 3-for-3 today and also had three runs batted in. Miao Yi Chen added a single, then back-to-back doubles by Meng Ting Lai (one-run) and Yu Han Liu (2-run) increased the lead to 7-0 to end the game.
Hui Lin Chung started her fifth game for Taipei and threw her third complete game, striking out five and giving up seven hits. She improved her record to 4-1. The record for most victories in a World Championship is six. This was originally set in 1965 by Lorraine Woolley (Australia), then equaled later by Nancy Welborn (USA) and Yukiko Ueno (Japan). Carling Hare made her fifth start for Great Britain and fell to 0-5.
W-Hui Lin Chung (4-1), L-Carling Hare (0-5).
Game 54: Japan vs. Czech Republic, 7-0 (6 inn.)
Japan won 7-0 vs. the Czech Republic to register the fifth 7-0 final score in the first six games today. It also raised Japan’s record to 7-0. With the loss, the Czechs had to wait for the outcome of the New Zealand vs. Puerto Rico game (which was played after conclusion of this game) to learn if it had qualified for the play-offs.
Japan collected 12 base hits to raise its team batting average to a tournament best .387, leading the USA by only .004 points. Following these two teams in the top-5 are Australia (.375), Canada (.371) and the Netherlands (.284).
Japan opened the score in the first inning when Rei Nishiyama (one-out walk) and Eri Yamada (2-out double) scored on a triple by Yukiyo Mine.
The lead was doubled in the next inning. Haruna Sakamoto led off with a triple and scored on a following single by Rie Nagayoshi, who later scored herself on a single by Rei Nishiyama.
A sacrifice fly by Haruna Sakamoto made it a 5-0 score in the fifth inning and then the 7-run difference was reached in the sixth inning. With one out, pinch-hitter Sayaka Mori doubled, then back-to-back singles by Yuka Ichiguchi and Misato Kawano made it 7-0.
The Czechs had several base runners from the second through fifth inning, but was unable to score. Trailing 2-0, Lenka Spurna doubled with one out in the second inning and a hit batter led to another runner. The two advanced on a sacrifice bunt, but then were stranded. The Czechs also left runners on second and third base in the fifth.
W-Yamato Fujita (3-0), L-Jitka Horova (0-1).
Game 55: New Zealand vs. Puerto Rico, 3-1
In the last game of Group A, New Zealand decided the qualification for the final team to qualify for the play-offs. By winning 3-1 vs. Puerto Rico, it was New Zealand itself who advanced to the Championship Round for the first time since 2002. A loss would have meant that the Czech Republic and Cuba would share fourth place. In that case, the Czechs would have advanced due to its head-to-head result against Cuba. And so, the play-off hopes ended for the Czechs, which registered historic first wins against China and Puerto Rico during this tournament. But with the win, New Zealand created a 3-way tie with the Czechs and Cuba. As each had won one game between them, the runs against tie-break got into effect, which was in favor of New Zealand.
New Zealand was out hit 6-5, but nevertheless took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Mikayla Werahiko then led off with a walk, advanced on a sac-bunt and an error, then scored on a single by Stacey Webber. Cassie Siataga ran for Webber and went on to score on a single by Lara Andrews to make it 2-0.
In the fifth inning, Puerto Rico appeared to turn the game its way. However, it scored only once and left the bases loaded. With one out, Aisha Figueroa was on base. She then stole second base and scored on a single by Dayanira Diaz to narrow the deficit to 2-1. Karla Claudio followed with another single, which led to a pitching change. Next, Sahvanna Jaquish was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a force out at home and ground out then spoiled the comeback chance for Puerto Rico. Earlier in the game, in the second inning, Puerto Rico also had left three runners behind.
New Zealand immediately added an insurance run in the home of the fifth when Ellie Cooper was hit by a pitch, moved on a sac-bunt and a single, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Katrina Nukunuku.
W-Megan Farrell (1-3), L-Jailynn Jackson (0-1), SV-Tyneesha Houkamau (1).
Game 56: Botswana vs. Netherlands, 0-12 (4 inn.)
In the final game of the preliminary round, host Netherlands shut out Botswana 12-0 to seal its qualification for the Championship Round. The Dutch finished in fourth place in Group B based on the head-to-head result against Chinese Taipei, with whom it ended in a tie. Taipei won that game and therefore finished in third place in this group.
Dutch pitcher Ginger de Weert dominated against Botswana and struck out ten batters. Her perfect game ended with two outs in the third inning when Pauline Tukisi lined single down the right field line to become the lone runner for the African country.
The Netherlands opened with three runs in the first inning, thanks to three errors and an RBI-single by Virginie Anneveld. A 5-run rally followed in the second inning. Two runs were then scored on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball. Virginie Anneveld added another RBI-single. She now leads the tournament with eleven base hits and leads the team with a .524 average.
Four runs were added in the third inning, which was highlighted by a 2-run triple by Britt Vonk, who later scored her third run in the game. She now leads the tournament with nine runs. The World Championship-record is 14, set in 2012 by Amanda Chidester (USA).
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