Canada shuts out Italy 1-0 at women’s softball world championship

ICHIHARA, Japan — Catcher Natalie Wideman drove in the only run of the game as Canada beat Italy 1-0 on Saturday at the women’s softball world championship, a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Centre-fielder Larissa Franklin tripled to left in the bottom of the second inning before Nicole Schroeder walked. Wideman then put the ball in play, allowing Franklin enough time to reach home safe.

Sara Ann Plourde struck out four and allowed two hits over four innings in the start for Canada (3-0). She was helped in the fourth by a great sliding catch by right-fielder Victoria Hayward on a deep fly by Italy’s Erika Piancastelli.

Reliever Danielle Lawrie dominated the Italian lineup, striking out eight in three innings.

Earlier, Alison Aguilar and Delaney Spaulding drove in three runs each as the United States beat Taiwan 7-0 to improve to 2-0 in Group A.

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Aguilar hit a bases-loaded double in a five-run second inning when Spaulding doubled in a single run. Spaulding completed the scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth and the game was called after five innings on the tournament’s mercy rule.

Keilani Ricketts picked up the win after striking out four and giving up only three hits over five innings.

The winner of the tournament will be awarded an Olympic berth. If Japan wins, the second-place finisher will be granted the Olympic spot as Japan has an automatic berth as host.

Also in Group A, Puerto Rico beat South Africa 9-0.

In Group B games on Saturday, Australia edged Italy 3-2 and China shut out Britain 1-0.

Japan, which beat the United States to win the gold medal in Beijing, thrashed Botswana 20-0 in three innings on Friday to improve to 2-0 in Group B.

Softball and baseball were dropped after the 2008 Beijing Olympics but have been added to the program for 2020.

— With files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press