The Great Britain U22 Women’s National Team advanced to the Super Round of the 2024 U22 European Softball Championships on Thursday, 8 August behind an 11-0, five-inning win over Austria. Jessica Chan led Great Britain’s offence with a pair of home runs and five runs batted in. With the win, Great Britain advances to the Super Round and will play at 2:45 PM BST today against the Y2 opponent in their first playoff game.
The red-hot Katie Burge would continue her hitting streak, with a two-out bunt single in the first inning, but Great Britain was unable to score. In the bottom of the first, Elena Clark-Wilson, making her second start of the tournament for GB, worked around a one-out single by striking out the final two batters of the inning.
Amy Hartle led off the second with a bang, launching a deep fly ball over everything in centre field for a solo shot to give Great Britain the lead. Jenna Thompson followed up with a double and came around to score on a second double, this time off the bat of Mia Kreuger. Krueger advanced to third on a Cara Edwards’ groundout, and a fielding error by Austria allowed Molly Blackwood to reach, and Krueger to score. After a bunt single by Tia Warsop, Jessica Chan stepped to the plate and unloaded a three-run shot to centre to put Great Britain up by six. Burge would reach on a fielding error and stole second before Morgan Salmon singled, with Burge stealing home on a double steal to score, and Salmon scampering home behind her on an error. Hartle then stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning and launched a fly ball to centre that Austrian outfielder Lya Schneider couldn’t handle but was tagged out advancing to third. After Thompson smashed her second double of the inning, Germany went to the bullpen with Carla Langthaler relieving starter Emma Hanika. Langthaler would induce Mia Krueger to fly out to end the inning, but not before Great Britain sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs.
Clark-Wilson returned to the circle with the lead, and allowed a leadoff walk, but came back to induce a fielder’s choice followed by a pair of strikeouts to keep Austria off the scoreboard.
A leadoff single for Edwards continued the offensive onslaught for GB, who was replaced on the basepaths by Blackwood after a fielder’s choice. Warsop singled, but Austria would turn a double play on Jessica Chan’s flyout to end the threat.
Clark-Wison continued to cruise in the third, striking out another two Austrian batters to keep them off the board, and in the fourth, Burge led off with a triple to right to continue the hit parade. After Salmon popped out to short, pinch hitter Kaitlyn Parisi lifted a fly ball to centre for a sacrifice, with Burge coming home to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kailyn Haig relieved Clark-Wilson and worked a 1-2-3 inning to keep Austria off the scoreboard. Jessica Chan then continued her torrid day at the plate in the fifth, launching a two-run homer to centre to score Molly Blackwood and give Great Britain an 11-run advantage.
Haig returned to the circle with a chance to close out the contest, and quickly got the first two outs of the inning. However, Miriam Gubo was hit by a pitch for the second time on the day, and Lea Karner reached on an error, but Haig struck out Sophie De Rouin to end the contest.
Cha’s two-homer, five RBI day led GB’s offence, who also got a solo home run from Amy Hartle. Katie Burge continued her hot hitting with her fourth extra-base hit of the tournament, while Jenna Thompson added a pair of doubles as part of her 3 for 3 day.
By advancing to the Super Round, Great Britain will automatically improve upon their 2022 U22 European Championship result, where they finished ninth.
Today’s Super Round game and all remaining games at the 2024 U22 European Softball Championships can be watched on softballeurope.tv.
Follow the Great Britain U-22 Women’s Team on social media @GBWomenSoftball on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and on the British Softball Federation website, britishsoftball.org.