The Dutch team reached base more than Australia in the first three innings, but was unable to score. In the second inning, lead-off hitter Daisy de Peinder was hit by a pitch, then Marloes Fellinger followed with a single. The two moved on a grounder by Noémi Boekel, but then De Peinder was thrown out at home, trying to score on a grounder by Debbie Connor. A flyout ended the inning. In the third inning, two runners reached first base.
Australia had two runners on in the first inning when Dutch starter Rebecca Soumeru gave up a lead-off single and walked a batter with one out, but two flyouts ended the bat. In the next inning, Australia got runners on second and third base with two outs (walk and single), but a flyout also ended this chance.

Australia then did open the score in the fourth inning. Tracey Mosley led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Kate Quigley, who advanced on a sac-bunt. While Marissa Carpadios followd with a double, Quigley was unable to score, but moments later she crossed the plate on a sac-fly by Kylie Cronk.
In the fifth inning, Australia left three runners behind. With one out, Rebecca Soumeru gave up two singles and was relieved by Kristi DeVries, who walked the first batter she faced to load the bases. But then, a grounder resulted in a force out at home, then the inning ended when another grounder followed.
Australia scored its second run in the sixth inning. With two outs, Belinda Wright singled and stole second, then scored on a single by Simmone Morrow.

In its last four innings, the Dutch team got five runners on base, but only one of them got into scoring position. After Noémi Boekel singled and stranded on first in the fourth inning, Saskia Kosterink hit a double with two outs in the fifth inning, but then a flyout followed.
In the sixth, the first three batters reached base, but as the last two hit grounders, the first two were forced out at second base.

The Dutch team had only three hits off veteran pitcher Tanya Harding, but the 2-0 final score is a good result vs. Australia, which two years ago won the Silver medal on the Olympic Games in Athens (Greece).
(July 8)

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