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USA first finalist; And then there were three...!
 Nederlandse tekst
CATIA LA MAR / CARACAS (Venezuela) - Reigning world champion USA became the first finalist of the World Championship on Thursday by winning 4-1 vs. Olympic champion Japan, which get a second chance to reach the final on Friday.
After Thursday's games, only three teams are left in the race for the world title.
Earlier on Thursday, in the second round of the play-offs, three more teams were eliminated during the final phase.
In the first game of the day, China eliminated Venezuela by winning 6-1.
With the win, China moved to the next game, which was played on Thursday-evening, and in which it faced Canada.
After completion of the China vs. Venezuela game, Canada came from behind to win 3-2 vs. Australia, which therefore became the second team today to be eliminated.
Trailing 2-0, Canada scored three runs with one out in the home of the seventh inning to win the game.
Venezuela and Australia closed the World Championship with a tie for fifth place.
Day 2 of the play-offs ended with another thriller, as Canada eliminated China by winning 1-0 and again scored the winning run in the home of the seventh inning.
With this, China became the third team today to be eliminated for the final, while Canada now will now meet Japan on Friday in the bronze medal-game, which also will give the event its second finalist.
For the Dutch Softball Team, Thursday was the day after.
On Wednesday, the orange were close to advancing to the next round of the play-offs, but lost 3-2 to Australia and was eliminated.
The disappointment of course remained on Thursday, but the team also is happy with the results during this World Championship.
So therefore, it was a good thing for everyone to get away from softball for a moment, as the team enjoyed the morning and part of the afternoon on a private beach at Club Marina Grande in the coastal city of Catia La Mar.
The team was invited by the Netherlands Club in Caracas to go there and spend the day at the beach to have some well-deserved time off and relax.
At the beach, the players were able to do some swimming and just enjoy the time off and of course the team thanks the Netherlands Club for the invitation.
But at the end of the afternoon, it was back to softball, as the team attended the semi-final between Japan and the USA, with the latter advancing to the final.
Oh, oh, two vultures are keeping a close eye...
Yes, even in the sea, the team was being cared off closely
The security guards of the National Guard joined the players in the sea
The team today got a new security member: Rebecca Soumeru
On the way back to the hotel, the team enjoyed a lunch at McDonald's
Later in the afternoon, the team went to the stadium to watch the USA vs. Japan game
Here, Team Manager Paul Boonstra shows the world trophy
The awards for gold, silver and bronze medal winners in the VIP-room of Estadio Independencia
o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o
On Thursday:
Venezuela vs. China, 1-6
In the opening game today, China took a 2-0 lead in the second inning vs. Venezuala, then added four more in the fourth at bat to take a 6-0 lead.
Venezuela's lone run came in the fifth inning.
China registered seven basehits, including two by Jia Guao, who also scored twice.
Venezuela collected six hits, including two by Johana Gomez.
Team captain Maria Soto scored the lone run for Venezuela.
After completion of the game, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías entered the field to congratulate China with the victory, but he also congratulated and praised the Venezuelan squad, embracing players and coaches.
Chávez, who loves softball, then ran around the bases, as if he had hit a homerun, followed by the Venezueland Team.
Canada vs. Australia, 3-2
Australia dominated initially in this game and appeared to have a comfortable lead when the bottom of the seventh inning started.
But then 'the shit hit the fan', some coaches would say.
Australia started the game well and opened the score in the first inning on a double by Stacey Porter.
The Aussies then made it 2-0 in the fourth inning when Danielle Stewart doubled, advanced on sacrifice bunt and scored on a double by Chelsea Forkin.
The first signs that Australia and pitcher Justine Smethurst might get into problems was in the home of the sixth when Canada got the bases loaded with two outs.
But then Smethurst ended the inning with a strikeout.
Things went differently in the next at bat, while Smethurst was still throwing a No-Hitter.
Kaleigh Rafter and Lill Russell singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Next, Melanie Matthews singled off the knee of Justine Smethurst, which led to the first Canadian run.
After Smethurst was checked by the physical therapist, she continued pitching and faced Caitlin Lever, who then drilled the ball into leftfield over the leftfielder's head for a 2-run, walk-off, game-winning double that gave Canada a 3-2 victory and eliminated Australia!
Dutchman Peter Vonk was one of the umpires in this game.
USA vs. Japan, 4-1
Team USA set the tone in the first inning by scoring three unearned runs off Japanese starter Sayuri Yamane.
With one out, Caitlin Lowe singled and Jessica Mendoza walked.
The bases then got loaded when next batter Alissa Haber also singled.
Next, a grounder towards first by Kaitlin Cochran led to a throwing error and two runs.
A sacrifice fly by Andrea Duran made it 3-0.
Hereafter, it took until the fifth inning for the USA to add two more (and their last) basehits, which again led to a run.
Lauren Lappin led off with a double and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Natasha Watley.
After the next batter walked, Jessica Mendoza singled to make it 4-0.
Winning pitcher Cat Osterman struckout 12 batters and gave up only one basehit, which was an one-out single in the first inning by Eri Yamada.
Canada vs. China, 1-0
Canada was close to a run in the second inning when, with a runner on second base, Kaleigh Rafter hit the ball to deep centerfield, but there the centerfielder caught the ball over the fence, robbing her of a 2-run homerun.
Next, Canada got runners on first and third, but both stranded.
In the third inning, two more runners were left behind.
China broke Danielle Lawrie's perfect game in the fifth inning with two outs with a bunt-single, but didn't score.
In the sixth, Canada again was close to a run, but then a squeeze failed.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Caitlin Lever, who earlier in the day hit the decisive double vs. Australia, again hit an important double.
After next batter Jennifer Yee was walked intentionally, Sheena Lawrick singled to bring in Lever with the winning run.
Dutch umpire Carolien Stadhouders was one of the umps in this game.
With the win, Canada secured itself of a medal for the first time since 1978.
Back then, it won silver, their lone World Championship-medal.
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