Earlier on Thursday, Florida Quicksilver (USA) was the second team to qualify by winning 7-5 vs. Triple Crown Colorado (USA). On Wednesday-afternoon, Japan Elite was the first team to reach the Play-Offs by winning 5-2 vs. Chinese Taipei.
The fourth team that went to the Championship Round was the winner of the game between Canada and Chinese Taipei. Canada won 5-4 and clinched. Following that game, the Dutch closed the preliminary round with the game against Japan Elite. Both teams were 5-1 and the winner of that game was to become the winner of the White Pool. The loser ended in a 3-way tie. Japan won 2-1 in eight innings to win the pool, the Dutch team therefore finished in third place and now will meet Canada Elite on Friday in their first Play-Off game.
In the meantime, Australia became the unbeaten winner (7-0) of the Red Pool. There were some scenarios possible in that pool for the remaining three teams to go to the finals, but in the end Canada Elite, Venezuela and China qualied.

In the game against Puerto Rico, the Dutch team had 15 basehits with all players hitting at least one. Marloes Fellinger went 3-for-3, including a double and a 3-run homerun, scored twice and had four RBI's. Kristi DeVries went the distance in this 5-inning game and gave up five basehits.

The Dutch team started probably a little to anxious as the first three batters all had a basehit in the first inning, but none of them scored. Saskia Kosterink led off with a single, but then was called out for interference on a single by Marjan Smit, who advanced to third base on a single by Daisy de Peinder, who tried to advance to second base and was thrown outs there. The inning then ended with a groundout.
In the second inning, the Dutch team was more secure in its baserunning. Noémi Boekel led off with a walk and reached third base on a double by Marloes Fellinger, who had a fine day offensively. Next, a passed ball enabled the two runners to advance, meaning Noémi Boekel scored the opening run. Marloes Fellinger then scored the second run on a sac-fly by Debbie Connor.
The Dutch team doubled its lead with two runs in the third inning. With two outs and Daisy de Peinder (fielder's choice) on base, Sandra Gouverneur hit an RBI-double to make it 3-0. After Noémi Boekel walked, Marloes Fellinger singled to bring in Gouverneur and increase the lead to 4-0. Debbie Connor also singled hereafter, but Boekel was thrown out at the plate trying to score to end the inning.

In the fourth inning, Puerto Rico finally was able to score a run. Zomarie Lozano led off the at bat with a homerun, but that was all Dutch pitcher Kristi DeVries would allow, as Lozano would be the only Puerto Rican player to get into scoring postion. Four other players singled, but none of them went beyond first base.
In the home fourth, the Dutch team got the bases loaded with one out, whereafter Puerto Rico changed its pitcher, but the inning then ended when Daisy de Peinder grounded into a double play.
The Dutch team reached the 7-run difference in the home of the fifth on six consecutive basehits. Sandra Gouverneur and Noémi Boekel led off with singles, then both scored when Marloes Fellinger followed with a 3-run homerun to make it 7-1. Next, the bases were loaded when Debbie Connor, Kinge Bouma and Nathalie Gosewehr all singled. Then, the first putout was registered when Femke Haage, who had come in as pinch-runner at first base for Debbie Connor, was forced out at home on a grounder by Saskia Kosterink. But after an infield-fly, the remaining run to end the game was scored on a single by Daisy de Peinder.
(July 6)

Japan took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Dutch starter Rebecca Soumeru walked lead-off hitter Mayumi Yoshida, who then advanced on a grounder and scored on a 2-out double by Aki Uenishi. But that was to be the only Japanese run in the regular seven innings.
In the fourth and fifth inning, Japan would leave a runner at second base, then left the bases loaded in the sixth at bat. With two outs and Kaori Sakai (fielder's choice) on base, a single by Yuri Masuyama and a walk for Mayumi Yoshida loaded the bases, but then the inning ended when next batter Yukiyo Miya grounded out.
In the seventh, two more runners would strand, as Japan would leave 11 runners in this game.

The Dutch team was close to the opening run in the first inning. Saskia Kosterink led off with a walk and stole both second and third base, but stranded there. After she stole third base with two outs, Japanese starter Naho Emoto struckout five batters in a row and ten of the next 11 batters. But then she faced Debbie Connor, who led off the fifth inning. The powerhitter connected for her second homerun in the tournament and tied the score, 1-1.

The decision fell in the eighth inning. Tie-break runner Sonoka Kuniyoshi moved on a grounder and scored on a 2-out double by Mayumi Yoshida to give Japan Elite a 2-1 lead.
In the home eighth, Dutch tie-break runner Marieke Jansen would reach third base on a sac-bunt, but then Ellen Venker lined out to short and Daisy de Peinder grounded out to end the game.
(July 6)

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