FRIDAY ELIMINATION GAMES
NETHERLANDS 8, GUATEMALA 0 (5)
Guatemala’s long ordeal ended Friday night as the plucky team was eliminated from further play by the Netherlands. The Netherlands now awaits the winner of the elimination game between Australia and China. Guatemala gave up 84 runs while scoring just two.
This contest was virtually decided in the top half of the 1st. Arekoa Spel singled and scored on a sac fly by Daisy DePeinder. Sandra Gouverneur tripled and scored on a single by Jolanda Kroesen. She scored the third run of the inning on a grounder by Penke Haage, misplayed by the pitcher.
The Netherlands added three runs in the 3rd. Marieke Jansen walked. Peindre beat out an infield hit. Gouverneur walked to load the bases. Kroesen hit an rbi single to center to drive in two runs, and another run scored on a groundout by Haage.
Netherlands reached the 8-run-ahead rule in the 4th. Spel singled; Jansen walked; and both scored on a double by Peindre.
Sandra Baart allowed one hit, a two-out single by Quintana Martinez in the 2nd.
AUSTRALIA 3, CHINA 2
Australia dug a hole – early. The first inning passed without incident – Catherine Bishop against China’s Olympic pitcher, Zhang Lixia – but in the top of the 2nd, Zhu Xiang Hong reach ed on a walk. Shen Li Ya was hit by a pitch. Fan Ting Ting grounded out, 3-4. The Chinese were moving so fast that the two lead runners were on opposite sides of 3rd, daring a throw, before nShen moved back to 2nd. Chen Xi Fang then grounded to Leah Quackenbush who sailed the ball over catcher Kym Turnell, and both runners scored.
Sarah Tutchener had led off the 1st, beating out an infield hit, but the next six batters went down, perhaps ominous since the Aussies suffered a no-hit loss to Japan in the final round robin game, and struggled at bat in losing to Canada 1-0 Thursday night.
Lauren Daykin aroused hope in the 3rd when she reached on a one-out error. Tutchener and Kate Quigley ground out, the 17th inning without a run.
Australia came alive in the 4th to tie the game. With one out, Leah Quackenbush singled. Amanda Smith singled to center. Lauren Ritter laid down a squeeze bunt which Zhang couldn’t field, and Quackenbush scored, ending the run drought. Dannielle Curtois walked after Sarah Croxford ground out to load the bases. Smith scored on a passed ball to tie the game. Daykin made the third out.
Thus enlivened, Australia put China down in the 5th. Tutchener led off with another hit but was stranded, leaving the game tied at 2-all after five innings. China had only 1 hit.
Again, the Aussies shut China down. Again, Australia stranded a runner – Sarah Croxford who walked.
China put a runner on in the 7th through a walk but Australia closed out the side.
Now, Australia had a chance to take the game. Bishop had held off the Chinese. But Olympian Zhang Li was pitching her best game of the tournament. Daykin struck out. Tutchener popped up and Quigley ground out.
Now, the game would go to International Tie Breaker.
Bad things can happen in ITB – and they happened to Australia. With Chen Xi Fang on 2nd, pinch hitter Li Yue singled. Pinch hitter Yang was intentionally walked to set up the force at home – and the gamble worked. Zhu hit back to 1st and Chen was forced at home, 3-2. But, with the bases still loaded, Hu Dan was seemingly hit by a pitch, forcing in the go-ahead run, 3-2. Hold the phone. The umpires conferred, agreeing she was not hit and everyone went back to their bases, Instead of a run, China hit into a fielder’s choice, eliminating the lead runner. The next batter lined outb to Quigley at short.
It waas still a 2-2 game when Australia came to bat in the 8th, with Kate Quigley on 2nd. Turnell and Quackenbush went down – then Amanda Smith slammed a single to centerm and an ebullient Quigley raced home, arms raised, with the winning run.
China will play the Netherlands at1pm Saturday, and the winner will meet Australia at 300 pm to decide 5th place.
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