CASTIONS DI STRADA, ITALY – Larissa Franklin hit a walkoff home run in the seventh inning as Canada defeated the Netherlands 6-3 in the first game of the Softball World Cup super round Thursday.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Franklin said. “Nothing changes, we have just to play one inning at a time, one pitch at a time.”
With the Netherlands leading 3-2, Canada’s Erika Polidori hit a double to right-centre to bring home Kelsey Harshman and tie the game.
The Netherlands then intentionally walked Callum Pilgrim — who hit a solo home run in the first inning — to set up Franklin’s dramatic finish. She hit a three-run homer off J’dah Girigoriae’s first pitch to lift Canada to victory.
“They had just walked my friend (Pilgrim). I didn’t know what to expect, but I was ready to crush the ball and help my team,” Franklin said.
Canada’s starter Sara Groenewegen allowed two hits without giving up a run and struck out seven over five innings. Reliever Morgan Rackel gave up two hits and three runs in the sixth inning. Dawn Megan Bodrug came in to pitch the final one-and-a-third innings. She allowed one hit and struck out one.
Canada, ranked fifth in the world, faces world No. 3 Japan on Friday for a spot in the final against the defending champion United States. The medal games are Saturday.
The No. 1 Americans beat Japan 2-0 on Friday.
Canada was the bronze medallist in Tokyo’s Olympic Games in 2021. A half-dozen players from that squad are also competing in this year’s World Cup.
Softball is not on the program at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris starting next week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2024.
