Canada beats U.S. for bronze in extras at women’s baseball World Cup

VIERA, FLA. — Daphnée Gélinas broke a tie with an RBI single and veteran Ashley Stephenson drove in two to cap a five-run 10th inning as Canada defeated the United States 8-5 on Friday for the bronze medal at the women’s baseball World Cup.

With international baseball rules in play, the teams began their respective halves of the extra innings (starting in the eighth) with runners on first and second. But neither team managed to push a run across over the first two extra frames.

Gélinas came through with her RBI in the top of the 10th and Anne-Sophie Lavallée made it 5-3 with a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Mia Valke drove in another and Stephenson followed with her two-run base hit.

Stephenson has played in each of the eight World Cup tournaments since its inception in 2004.

Right-hander Allison Schroder, competing in her first World Cup, allowed two runs in the bottom of the 10th before getting a double-play to end the game.

Canada won silver at the last tournament in South Korea in 2016, losing to No. 1-ranked Japan in the championship final. The Canadians, ranked No. 2, have finished in the top 4 in every World Cup and have six medals — four bronze and two silvers.

Japan, winners of 29 straight World Cup games and five titles, played Taiwan Friday for gold.

Gélinas had given Canada a 3-2 lead with a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning.

The second baseman from Repentigny, Que., connected on a 3-1 pitch from Brittany Schutte with one out, sending the ball over the right-field fence and scoring Kaitlyn Ross and Nicole Luchanski. Gélinas, 22, pounded her fist and smiled as the ball left the park while she was sprinting around first base.

The U.S. tied the game on a Malaika Underwood double off Schroder in the bottom of the seventh.

Canada fielded a team in Viera that blended youth with experience. Seven players on the 20woman roster were 18 years old or younger.