Placement Round: China finish fifth, ahead of Puerto Rico, Australia and Italy

China and Australia won the last two games of the Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 Placement Round against Puerto Rico and Italy, respectively, in Castions di Strada on Friday.

World No. 10 Australia came from behind to defeat No. 6 Italy, 3-1, in the first game of the tournament plagued by rain.

McKenzie Barbara gave Italy the lead in the bottom of the first, getting to Australian starter Kandra Lamb with an RBI single up the middle.

Australia scored the tying run in the top of the sixth. Jenna Trim got to Italian starter Alice Nicolini with a two-out double, scoring Stacey Mc Manus from first.

Andrea Filler hit a one-out double in the bottom half of the frame, sending Lamb to the showers. Australia called Ellen Roberts from the bullpen, and Italy responded with pinch runner Alessandra Rotondo at second. Marta Gasparotto walked after an eight-pitch duel. Elisa Cecchetti worked the count full, then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Clare Warwick led off the top of the seventh with a base hit. Madison Scott followed with an infield single that brought Warwick to third and forced Italy to replace Nicolini with Christina Toniolo.

Jade Wall singled on Toniolo's fourth pitch to give Australia their first lead and bring Scott to third. The rain started falling as Georgia Hood stepped to the plate, forcing the umpiring crew to suspend the game.

Play resumed after 25 minutes, with Ilaria Cacciamani pitching for Italy. The left-hander struck out Hood. Cox followed with a fly to shallow right field, deep enough to score Scott from third. Cacciamani walked the bases loaded, then got out of the jam, striking out Jenna Trim.

Roberts worked two quick outs to start the bottom of the seventh, then walked Giulia Koutsoyanopulos on seven pitches. Isabella Dayton grounded out to second to end the game.

World No. 17 China beat No. 2 Puerto Rico, 4-1 in eight innings. They both finished the Placement Round with a 2-1 record.

The game developed as a pitching duel into the sixth inning. Yinan Chai pitched 5.1 innings, Yuchen Wei got the final two outs of the sixth. Gianna Mancha started for Puerto Rico. She allowed one run on six hits over five innings of work. Aleshia Ocasio pitched two perfect innings to take the game through seven innings.

Puerto Rico had a scoring chance in the bottom of the seventh. Yinan Chai walked Alanah Rivera to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Jena Pratte bunted for the hit and brought her to second base. Thanks to three consecutive lineouts, Chai got out of trouble, and the game went to extra innings.

With the score tied at one, China scored the winning runs in the top of the eighth. Siyu Yan grounded out to third base, bringing the tie-break runner Hiaoyan He to third. She scored on Yue Xie's single to the centre. Min Ren looked at a strike, then crushed Ocasio's second pitch to the corned in right field for an RBI triple. Kailin Xi made it 4-1 with a single through the right side.

Chai worked a quick bottom of the eighth and earned the win.