Japan edges Mexico in first quarterfinal
By Gary Kingston
The fairy-tale run by Mexico at the Women’s World Softball Championships hit a bump in the road on Friday. Well, actually it was too huge bumps in the form of deep blasts off Japanese bats.
Designated player Yuka Ichiguchi and first baseman Natsuko Sugama homered and tripled in back-to-back at-bats in the bottom of the fifth inning -- Sugama’s hit during into an inside-the-park job when the ball was misplayed off the centrefield fence -- as the two-time reigning world champions squeezed out a 2-0 quarterfinal win.
It was surprising Mexico’s first loss after six consecutive wins to open the championships.
“Our (softball federation) president told us we gained respect today,” said Mexican catcher Sashel Palacios. “We turned a lot of heads today and this entire tournament.”
The Mexicans are still in it, however, as they’re playing in the double knockout portion of the Page Playoff. They’ll meet Canada today (12:30 p.m.) and still have a chance to make Sunday evening’s gold medal final against either Japan or the winner of Friday night’s late game between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Palacios said she’d love another shot at the Japanese.
“That would be a lot of fun. But we’re just going to take it one game at a time. That’s what we control. But we have a lot of fight in this team. We’re playing for each other and to prove a point. And we’re not out of the fight yet.”
Mexican pitching ace Dallas Escobedo, who only joined the national team for the first time at this tournament, had allowed just two singles before yielding the big blows.
“They’re a great hitting team and sometimes that’s just how the game goes,” Palacios said of the blasts by Ichiguchi and Sugama.
Yamato Fujita allowed just two hits and struck out six in going the distance for Japan. She was aided by typically solid defence behind her, with third baseman Yu Yamamoto making two terrifically athletic plays in the final inning to take away hits for Mexico.
“They do everything right,” Palaios said of the Japanese. “It shows in their work ethic pre-game, during the game, the adjustments they make.”