by Bob Fromer
Haarlem, Netherlands – For six innings on Tuesday at the ISF Women's World Championships, GB and Italy played a good, competitive game of softball. But then the errors that have plagued GB throughout the tournament struck again and Italy eventually won the game 9-0.
Four errors by the GB defense in the top of the seventh inning led to six unearned Italian runs, and turned a 3-0 game into a rather more demoralising loss. The errors – GB made seven in all, and gave Italy seven unearned runs in total – undermined good performances from both GB pitchers, Carling Hare (who started and pitched 4.1 innings) and Kori Waugh, who pitched the rest.
The conditions – very cold, very windy, and with occasional bursts of rain – were certainly not conducive to good softball. And GB went into the game without their best hitter, Alicja Wolny, who suffered a knee injury after Monday night's game against the USA and was unable to play on Tuesday.
But what seems to be happening to a GB Team that played very good defense at the European Championships last year with virtually the same personnel is that losing day after day is wearing the team down, mentally if not physically.
Offensive drought
Italy made a couple of errors as well, but they were nowhere near as costly, since the GB offense, minus Alicja Wolny, was only able to put sporadic pressure on Italian pitcher Debora Moretto, who pitched a complete game. Moretto gave up only three hits and four walks while striking out eight.
GB managed to load the bases with two out in the third inning on a walk, a sharp single to right field by Laura Thompson and an Italian error, but Kori Waugh bounced out to second base.
GB left another two runners stranded in the fourth inning when Sarah Jones struck out to end the threat, wasting a walk and an infield single by third base player Sarah Craig.
And in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score now 9-0 and the rain lashing down, Debora Moretto walked Steph Pearce and Amy Moore. But Steph was thrown out inexplicably trying to steal third after Amy's walk, and after a brief rain delay, the teams came back on the field for just one pitch, which Laura Thompson hit to Italian right fielder Elisa Oddonini to end the game.
Early parity
Most of this game was a contest between two evenly-matched teams, as Carling Hare and Debora Moretti both pitched effectively. But Italy took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. A lead-off walk to Designated Player Ilaria Pino started the problem, and Andrea Montanari reached on an infield single. After Priscilla Brandi bunted the runners to second and third, a single to right field by Giulia Longhi drove in one run and another infield hit by Elisa Grifagno drove in the other.
After that, all subsequent Italian runs were unearned.
Their third run came in the top of the fourth inning when Irene Barone singled to right with two out, moved to second on a passed ball, stole third, and scored when catcher Amy Moore's throw to third went awry. Those are the kinds of runs that shouldn't really happen.
When Italy started the fifth inning with an infield single, a walk and another single, Head Coach Hayley Scott replaced Carling Hare with Kori Waugh, and Kori not only got out of that inning without allowing a run but pitched a scoreless sixth – although Italy left the bases loaded.
But then came the nightmare top of the seventh, which started when Steph Pearce, playing left field, dropped a deep fly ball hit by Ilaria Pino. Before the inning was over, there were throwing errors by Amy Moore and Keeli Waugh, filling in for Alicja Wolny at first, and a ground ball that escaped Sarah Craig at third. Combined with three Italian hits and two walks, the result was six runs and yet another lengthy inning for Kori Waugh to pitch through that was mostly not of her own making. Kori has had a few of those innings in this tournament and has laboured through them stoically.
One of the problems that GB has had in this tournament is that their pitchers and defense are continually under pressure. GB has now played five games, totalling 28 innings, and in only three of those innings has the opposition gone down in order – and all three of those innings were in the first game against Botswana. In other words, GB has had runners on base in every inning of the last four games.
By contrast, GB has gone down in order in 12 of their 28 times at bat.
Elsewhere
Three games delayed by rain on Monday were made up on Tuesday morning, but there have been further rain delays on Tuesday afternoon and some games may be pushed over to Wednesday.
And there continue to be surprise results, such as the Dominican Republic defeating Chinese Taipei 7-0 on Tuesday morning.
As you can see from the latest pool standings below, a lot of teams are still in with a chance to finish in the top four in their pool and make the playoffs. In fact, only two teams – GB and Puerto Rico, have been definitely eliminated from playoff contention.
Results
Scores so far in the tournament are:
Pool A
Day 1
Japan 4, China 0
Canada 3, Puerto Rico 2
Czech Republic 6, Cuba 3
New Zealand 5, Russia
Day 2
China 1, Puerto Rico 0
Japan 5, Russia 0
Cuba 1, New Zealand 0
Canada 8, Czech Republic 1
Day 3
Cuba 5, Russia 3
Japan 9, Puerto Rico 2
Czech Republic 2, China 0
Canada 8, New Zealand 1 (5 innings)
Day 4
Russia 3, Czech Republic 0
Japan 9, New Zealand 0 (5 innings)
Day 5
Canada 2, China 0 (postponed from Monday)
Cuba 3, Puerto Rico 1 (postponed from Monday)
New Zealand 7, Czech Republic 3
China 2, Cuba 0
Russia 2, Puerto Rico 1
Canada v Japan
Pool B
Day 1
Australia 2, Chinese Taipei 1
Italy 3, Dominican Republic 2
Botswana 5, GB 3
USA 10, Netherlands 0 (5 innings)
Day 2
USA 7, Botswana 0 (5 innings)
Chinese Taipei 5, Netherlands 4 (11 innings)
Dominican Republic 14, GB 6 (5 innings)
Australia 10, Italy 0 (4 innings)
Day 3
Dominican Republic 11, Botswana 1 (4 innings)
Australia 9, GB 0 (5 innings)
Netherlands 8, Italy 0 (5 innings)
USA 5, Chinese Taipei 1
Day 4
Italy 6, Botswana 0
USA 11, GB 0 (4 innings)
Australia 4, Netherlands 0
Day 5
Dominican Republic 7, Chinese Taipei 0 (6 innings) (postponed from Monday)
Italy 9, GB 0
Chinese Taipei 9, Botswana 0 (5 innings)
USA v Australia
Netherlands v Dominican Republic
Pool Standings after Day 5
The first four teams in each pool will qualify for playoffs.
Pool A
Japan (4-0)
Canada (4-0)
Cuba (3-2)
Czech Republic (2-3)
China (2-3)
Russia (2-3)
New Zealand (2-3)
Puerto Rico (0-5)
Pool B
USA (4-0)
Australia (4-0)
Dominican Republic (3-1)
Italy (3-2)
Chinese Taipei (2-3)
Netherlands (1-3)
Botswana (1-4)
GB (0-5)
Photos by Lynda Medwell