Blu Girls secure last playoffs spot in Group C of Women’s Softball World Cup opening round

The Philippine national women’s softball team, nicknamed Blu Girls, booked the last playoffs spot in Group C of the two-stage WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup with an upset host Italy in a game delayed for a day by stormy weather. The final score, 6-5.

Earlier Tuesday, the Philippines beat New Zealand, 5-3, to set up a do-or-die match with Italy, which also needed the win to secure the last ticket in the Opening Rounds’ Finals. Instead, Italy will again battle the Blu Girls for the third spot.

Italy had a good start Monday, kicking off the scoring at the top of the first inning. 

The Philippines, which earlier on Monday lost to Venezuela, quickly evened the score line and kept it at 1-1 until the 4^th inning, when a thunderstorm forced game officials to suspend the match.

When the game resumed late Tuesday, Italy quickly notched three runs in a row to make it, 4-1, before ending its turn at bat. 

The Philippines responded in kind, scoring three runs of their own and kept the game knotted until the last inning.

Italy added another run at the top of the 7^th inning, and just needed to keep the Philippine team from scoring to move on to the Finals of the group stage.

But the Blu Girls won’t be denied. They scored two more runs, with still two outs to spare, earning a walk off victory and the last playoff berth.

Italy, before bowing to the Philippines, lost only to Japan and would have emerged at the top of Group C had it blanked the Philippines in the last inning.

Italy and Philippines square off anew Wednesday to determine third and fourth spots, while Japan and Canada will play in the Finals. New Zealand and Venezuela will battle for 5^th and 6^th place.

The top two teams in Groups A, B and C will have guaranteed seats at the XVII World Baseball Softball Confederation Women’s Softball World Cup Finals scheduled in Italy next July, just days before the 2024 Paris Olympics. Two wild card slots had been allotted in the 8^th team championships, but that has been reduced to one since Italy as host nation will have a guaranteed slot.