The Canadian women’s softball team reached the final four of the World Cup with a 5-4 victory over host Italy on Wednesday.
Canada joined the United States, Japan and the Netherlands in the super round of the tournament that crowns the women’s world softball champions.
Canada scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the win over the Italians.
Janet Leung hit a centre-field single to score Callum Pilgrim and tie the game. Caitlin Wong’s dropped flyout to right field scored Larissa Franklin for the victory.
Canada’s starter Dawn Bodrug allowed three hits on three runs and struck out two over three innings. Reliever Morgan Rackel gave up four hits and a run and struck out one in three innings. Sara Groenewegen came in to pitch the seventh. She allowed no hits and struck out one.
Canada finished second in its group at 2-1 behind the U.S. at 3-0.
Canada, ranked fifth in the world, faces world No. 8 Netherlands on Thursday in the first game of the super round and No. 3 Japan on Friday. The medal games are Saturday.
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.