Team USA remains undefeated heading into gold medal rematch with Team Japan

Team United States maintained its perfect record at the Women's Baseball World Cup on Thursday, slipping past Japan in extra innings.

The game, which the United States won by a score of 4-3, endedJapan's39-game win streak at WBSC international eventsthe last time the team lost was in 2012 in Edmonton. Incidentally, that loss also came to the United States.

And the win was certainly a confidence boost, and a timely one at that: the USA will once again meet Japan on Saturday, with the world championship on the line.

Team USA Manager Veronica Alvarez said the win showed the team can perform under pressure.

"We came in with the goal of beating everyone and winning every game," she said. "We haven't had to play under pressure in a long time, in the last, I would say three years, four years."

"So it's really nice to to know that our defence is going to hold up, and our offence can perform and under those situations."

The game was tight, as would be expected between the two finalists. Japan started ace pitcher Ayami Sato, referred to by mlb.com as the best female pitcher in the world in a profile last year.

In an interview with CBCduring a practice session last week, Sato, 34, told CBC News she started playing baseball at age nine, and pitching a year later.

"We lead the world in women's baseball," Sato said through an interpreter. "The Japanese strong point is at the individual level. Also the teamwork, of course."

"They focus about the moment, and they're going to continue what they do."

Sato pitched five innings on Thursday, striking out five batters and giving up four hits and three runs.

Those runsall came viaJillian Albayati'sthree-run homerin the top of the fourth inning, which opened the game's scoring.

Japan responded with one run in the bottom of the fifth, and two more in the bottom of the sixth, tying things upat 3-3. A scoreless seventh sent the game into extra innings.

A balk by Japanese reliever Wakana Mori brought home Team USA's fourth run in the top of the eight.

Japan couldn't make any offensive headway in the bottom of the inning, making the final 4-3 for Team United States.

Meanwhile, Mexico earned a spot in Saturday's bronze medal game with a 3-2 win over Venezuela on Thursdayin game that also went into extra innings.

They'll face Team Canada at 11 a.m. on Saturday for bronze, while Japan and the United States will play in the championship final at 3 p.m. Both games will be played at Port Arthur Stadium.