Japan walk off the Netherlands and head to Super Round undefeated

World No. 3 Japan came from behind to defeat No. 8 Netherlands with a walk-off slap by pinch-hitter Shiho Suto in the bottom of the seventh, 4-3. The Dutch took an early lead against Miu Goto and Sakura Miwa and brought it to the bottom of the seventh. Legendary 42-year-old two-time Olympic gold medallist Yukiko Ueno came out of the bullpen to pitch 4.2 masterful innings and earn the win.

Catcher Brenda Beers hit a one-out blooper off Japan's starter, Miu Goto, and became the first runner of the game. Maxime Van Dalen followed with a base hit up the middle. Goto got out of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout.

Goto allowed a pair of walks in the top of the second, but got out of the inning on three flyouts.

Brenda Beers led off the third with a base hit. Goto walked the next batter and left for Sakura Miwa.

The Netherlands bunted the runners to third and second. Suka Van Gurp looked at a strike, then singled up the middle to give the Netherlands a 2-0 lead. Wissink followed with a blooper to shallow centre field to make it 3-0.

The Dutch wouldn't stop. Cindy Van der Zanden drove a two-strike pitch to centre field for an RBI single. Japan gave the call to Yukiko Ueno in the bullpen. The two-time Olympic gold medallist got out of the inning by striking out the side.

Urara Fujimoto gave Japan the first runner of the game, reaching on a drag bunt with one out in the bottom of the third. She reached third with two outs, but Van Aalst got out of the inning on a groundout.

Kyoko Ishikawa led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield single. She stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Van Aalst walked Eri Shimoyama with one out, then struck out Yui Sakamoto for the second out. Japan tried to score on a double steal, but the Netherlands tagged Shimoyama for the out before Ishikawa could score.

Fujimoto reached on a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth and stole second. Van Aalst walked the next batter but got out of the inning on a force-out at second.

Ishikawa led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Hotaru Tsukamoto bunted her to second. She was initially called out at first base, but the on-field review overturned the call. Eri Shimoyama drove the eighth pitch of a long duel into the gap to right-centre to put Japan on the scoreboard and cut the Dutch lead to 3-2.

Lisa Hop relieved Van Aalst for the Netherlands but couldn't stop the comeback. Shimoyama reached third on a groundout and scored the tying run on Kanna Kudo's infield single.

Japan walked it off in the bottom of the seventh. Yume Kiriishi led off with a base hit. Ishikawa dropped a one-out bunt, bringing Kiriishi to third. She reached first on an error.

Pinch hitter Shiho Suto looked at a ball, then slapped the second offering beyond the pitcher. Deep enough for Kiriishi to score the winning run from third.