CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia assistant coach Kaleigh Rafter and Team Canada open play at the Women’s Softball World Championship in Japan on Thursday.
Canada opens pool play with a doubleheader on Thursday night on the east coast. Rafter and Team Canada face Great Britain Friday, Aug. 3, at 12:30 p.m. JST (11:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 2) before taking on Venezuela in a game set for 6 p.m. JST (5:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 3).
Round robin play continues through August 8 before the top four teams from the two pools advance to the championship round. The championship game takes place on August 12 with the winner earning a berth in the 2020 Olympics.
The WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship will feature a total of 16 teams divided in two groups. Canada – No. 3 in the WBSC World Rankings – will compete in Group B along with No. 2 Japan, No. 4 Australia, No. 9 Italy, No. 12 China, No. 14 Great Britain, No. 17 Venezuela and No. 33 Botswana.
Live scoring will be available through the WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship website.
Rafter, Canada Vie for 2020 Olympics Qualification
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia assistant coach Kaleigh Rafter and Team Canada open play at the Women's Softball World Championship in Japan on Thursday.