by Bob Fromer
Haarlem, Netherlands – The GB Women's Fastpitch Team knew that competition in the 14th ISF Women's World Championships would be tough, but the one game they expected to win was their tournament opener on Friday 15 August against Botswana. They didn't.
Instead, Botswana won the game 5-3, thanks to three unearned runs given them by the GB defense, which committed four errors.
On offense, GB encountered a Botswana pitcher, Oreambetse Mojeramane, who throws harder than many pitchers Botwana has sent to international tournaments in the past. GB hitters had no real trouble putting bat to ball – Mojeramane only had one strikeout in her seven-inning complete game – but hits were few and far between, especially as the game progressed.
GB wound up with six base hits, but four of them came in the bottom of the first inning when Great Britain scored two runs, threatened to score more and took their first and only lead of the game at 2-1. Botwana finished with six hits of their own off two GB pitchers.
This may be Botswana's first-ever win at the World Championships, and their celebrations after the final out was recorded were joyful – as was their singing and dancing in the dugout even before the game began.
It is certainly the first time in the modern softball era that GB has ever lost to an Africa team.
Shaky defense
GB starter Carling Hare pitched pretty well, and was largely let down by her defense. But when Botwana scored two runs in the top of the third inning to take a 3-2 lead, two walks – the only walks Carling issued in the game – were part of the problem, along with two errors.
Botwana's opening run in the top of the first inning was earned, and had been driven in on a single to centre field by designated player Bafadile Dlibe. But the runner who scored was only on base because of a miscommunication between GB second base player Sarah Jones and right fielder Laura Thompson, who lost a wind-blown pop fly in the sun that fell between them in short right field.
GB came straight back in the bottom of the first inning and looked as if they might put up the kind of scoreline that most people were anticipating. Laura Thompson slashed a single to right field with one out and Alicja Wolny blooped a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Laura scored on a long, high sacrifice fly to left field that would certainly have cleared the left fielder and maybe even the fence if the wind hadn't been blowing straight in, and Kori Waugh's single past shortstop scored Alicja.
Steph Pearce then singled to right-centre field and one more hit could have blown the inning open. But Sarah Craig bounced out to shortstop.
Botswana pull away
After Botswana scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead, thanks to yet another GB error and then a booming two-RBI double to right-centre field by, once again, Bafadile Dlibe, Kori Waugh came in to pitch for GB and did an excellent job. Kori got the final two outs in the fifth inning on two ground balls hit back to her, and then pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh.
But though GB pulled a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to two errors from Botswana's defense, they couldn't manage any more. With their backs to the wall in the bottom of the seventh inning, GB did put the tying runs on base when Amy Moore singled with one out and with two out, Alicja Wolny was hit by a pitch. But Chiya Louie popped out to third to end the game.
Three of the four GB errors, and the ones that gave Botswana their three unearned runs, were errant throws by the normally reliable GB third base player Sarah Craig. In GB's infield warm-up before the game, Sarah put her first two throws well over the head of GB's first base player Alicja Wolny, and the pattern simply continued into the game as Sarah made three bad throws, one each in the first, third and fifth innings when Botwana scored all their runs.
Then, unaccountably, in the sixth and seventh innings, Sarah reverted to her normal self and made three nice plays on which her throws were accurate and assured. Sometimes, these things just happen to good athletes. But it cost the GB Team today.
Other results
Play is still in progress on Day 1 of the World Championships, with the Opening Ceremony to come around 6.30 pm and then the featured game of the day when the Netherlands play Team USA at 8.00 pm.
Scores so far, with a lot of close games, are:
Pool A
Japan 4, China 0
Canada 3, Puerto Rico 2
Czech Republic 6, Cuba 3
New Zealand 5, Russia 1
Pool B
Australia 2, Chinese Taipei 1
Italy 3, Dominican Republic 2
Botswana 5, GB 3
Looking ahead
So where do the GB Women go from here? On paper, all of the six teams they will play over the six days are better than Botswana. The team will have to pull themselves together after a hugely disappointing opener, cut down on the errors that also plagued them in their warm-up games and string some offense together.
In other words, GB has it all to do.
Photos by Lynda Medwell