2020 Tokyo Olympics: Canada Becomes Team No. 5 to Qualify with Second-Place Finish at WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier

The softball national teams of Mexico and Canada earned spots in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, sealing the top two spots of the WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

It will be the first time Mexico will participate in an Olympic softball event while Canada has participated in the first four editions and will compete in Tokyo for the fifth time.

Canada became the fifth qualified nation for the Olympic Games softball competition in Tokyo 2020.

Mexico and Canada join host nation Japan, USA (the 2018 WBSC Softball World Champions) and Italy (winner of the Europe/Africa Qualifier) as the first five nations qualified for the six-team Tokyo 2020 Olympic softball competition.

The remaining nation will be determined at the next WBSC Softball qualifier – an eight-team WBSC Softball Asia/Oceania Qualifier which will take place in Shanghai, China from September 24 to 28.

Softball will have the honor of opening next year’s Olympic Games on 22 July with special starting games at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.

Canada secured its ticket with a 7-0, five-innings win over Brazil. Kaleigh Rafter belted a walk-off home run to center field in the bottom of the 5th and sent Canada to its fifth Olympic Games.

Canada qualifies to Tokyo 2020!!! 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦#RoadToTokyo #Softball pic.twitter.com/40PP4c4NIq

— WBSC Softball 🥎 (@WBSCsoftball) September 1, 2019

Canada scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. With one out and a runner in first base, Larissa Franklin sent a line drive to the right-field fence for a run-scoring triple, putting Canada ahead in the score.

One inning later Canada rallied for five runs and secured the game.

The host team loaded the bases with a bunt single by Victoria Hayward and base on balls to Kelsey Jenkins and Jennifer Gilbert. Brazil forced the first two outs at home plate on two grounders to third and second base, however, they couldn’t avoid the damage.

Rafter hit a strong grounder to third base, Mayra Akamine made a spectacular diving catch but couldn’t retire any runners and Franklin knocked in two more runs with a single to right field.

Emma Entzminger then hit a grounder to second base, Samira Tanaka made another incredible diving stop, but Entzminger beat the throw at first, producing the fifth run. Joey Lye knocked in the sixth Canadian run with another single to right field.

In the bottom of the 5^th inning, Rafter, a Beijing 2008 Olympian, sealed the ticked to Tokyo with a walk-off home run to center field to clinch the game and put the Canadians in the 2020 Olympic Games.

“It’s been a long journey, a growing journey,” Rafter, the Canadian catcher, said. “I’m just excited for the teammates. I love this country, I love softball, I love playing for this team… It’s been a part of me since I first tried-out at 19 years old. It’s everything, it’s kind of who I am now.”

Watch highlights of the Canadian win here:

The qualifier in Surrey included several of the top softball nations across the Americas, including the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

The top four nations of the WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier—Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and Brazil—also became the first nations to advance to the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2021.

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2019 WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier Final Standings

1. Mexico
2. Canada
3. Puerto Rico
4. Brazil
5. Cuba
6. Venezuela
7. Guatemala
8. Peru
9. Dominic Republic
10. Bahamas

Information provided by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).