Japan narrowly tops Canada in extra innings to remain undefeated at Women's Baseball World Cup

Japan extended its perfect record at the 2024 Women's Baseball World Cup finals on Monday night, but Team Canada made the defending champions work for it.

Japan eked out a 7-6 win over Canada at Port Arthur Stadium, following a roller-coaster of a game that went into extra innings.

"We had the opportunity, and we proved that we could," Team Canada Manager Anthony Pluta said following the game. "We came in and and we scored runs. We came back twice against Japan. They came out early, we were able to tie the game."

"And then even with the game tied and them up by 4, we still put the pressure on," he said. "I couldn't be happier with where we'reat. We botched a couple of plays, but that's baseball."

"I think anybody that that may have been doubting our ability to play or or our ability to be here, they better watch out," he said.

The game was a tight one from the first pitch, and the score was low throughout the first six innings.

Japan took the lead early, going up 1-0 in the top of the first, when aYuki Kawabata single brought Iori Miura home.

Japan built on their lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to a left-field double byYuhuza Nakamura, which scoredMiwa Naraoka. Japan took a 3-0 lead in the top of the sixth, whenAkari Hoshikawa crossed the plate.

But Canada didn'tstay scoreless for long.

Canada threatened late, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, and got on the board whenMadison Willan was walked, bringing Emily Baxter home from third base.

Zoe Hicks followed that up with a single, which scoredtwo more runs, tying the game at three. Canada couldn't muster any more runs in the sixth, and a scoreless seventh sent the game into extra innings.

Under the rules, the batting team starts out with runners on first and second in extra innings, and Japan was able to capitalize on that quickly, scoring four in the top of the eighth.

And while Canada didn't go quietly, the three runs the team managed in the bottom of the eighth inning weren't enough to overcome Japan's lead,making the final score 7-6.

"As a team, you're gonna be a little bit down after a loss," Pluta said. "You never know how you're going to react or feel."

"But I think it when it sets in and they realize, 'yeah, you know what, we did lose, butwe competed with one of the best teams, if not the best team in the world' ...that's a great, great feeling for them."

The win bumped Japan's record to 2-0 after two days of play at the World Cup afterbeating Chinese Taipei on Sunday.

Canada slid to a 1-1 record with the loss.

Meanwhile, Canada's next opponent, the United States, is sitting at 2-0, thanks to an 11-1 win over Mexico earlier Monday.

"The team did what we expected them to do, which was link at-bats and get hit after hit, follow each other up, and play as a team," United States Manager Veronica Alvarez said following their win. "It wasn't one person dominating at all, it was a team effort, and that's what we've been preaching the whole time, that it takes the whole 20 to make this thing happen."

Monday's morning game saw Venezuela defeat Chinese Taipei 3-0.

The Women's Baseball World Cup finals continue on Tuesday with three games: Chinese Taipei vs. Mexico at 11 a.m., and Venezuela faces Japan at 3 p.m.

The 7 p.m. game will see the USA host Canada.

"We need to be able to hit early," Pluta said. "We've been saving the hits till late."

"We scored early against Mexico and that put us out ahead and and helped us out quite a bit," he said. "If we can score early and we can keep the pitchers throwing strikes, then I think the US will be in trouble."

Alvarez said the United States team is excited to face Canada on Tuesday night.

"We're not underestimating anybody," she said. "We take everyone as if it was a gold medal game."

"Canada always shows up to play and compete, and we love it. We want to face them and we're excited to have a big crowd out here for that."

All games are being played atPort Arthur Stadium.