World No. 1 Japan will take on USA, the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals 2025 bronze medallists, in a stellar final at The World Games 2025 Men’s Softball competition in Chengdu, China on Sunday after Saturday’s semifinals saw world No. 7 USA defeat No. 2 Venezuela, 7-0 in six innings, to become the first qualified for the Gold Medal Game followed by Japan beating No. 6 Canada, 6-1, to reach the final.
Japan, who finished fourth at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals 2025 and are looking for their first major international title in men’s softball, and USA, whose last appearance in a global final was 37 years ago when they beat New Zealand in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 1988, will meet in the Men’s Softball Gold Medal Game on Sunday, 10 August, at 13:00 local time. Both teams head into the final undefeated, having swept their groups and won their semifinals convincingly.
It will be the first time these two nations face off in a global event final. USA has reached five World Championship Finals, winning four and losing one, but this marks their first appearance in a worldwide title game since 1988.
Japan, meanwhile, has played in two World Championship Finals — in 2000 against New Zealand and in 2019 against Argentina — losing on both occasions.
In the morning games, Argentina defeated Australia, 12-1, and Czechia beat Singapore, 15-10, for the Placement Round. Argentina and Czechia are facing each other at 15:30 to decide fifth place, while Singapore and Australia will square off on Field 2 for seventh place.
Semifinal: Canada vs Japan – Play by Play and Box Score
Behind a dominant complete-game performance from Hiroki Ikeda — 11 strikeouts, five hits, and one run allowed — Japan defeated Canada, 6-1, to secure a spot in Sunday’s Gold Medal Game.
Japan grabbed the lead in the second inning with an RBI single from Seii Kuroiwa and a sacrifice fly by Taiyo Kataoka, then broke the game open in the fifth with four runs on RBI singles by Tei Hamamoto, Yusuke Morita, and Kaito Masaki.
Canada’s lone run came on a solo homer from slugger Brad Ezekiel, who also made two spectacular catches in center field. Ty Sebastian took the loss, working 4.2 innings and giving up six hits, six runs, and striking out five.
Semifinal: Venezuela vs USA – Play by Play and Box Score
USA defeated Venezuela, 7-0 in six innings, and became the first qualified for the Gold Medal Game, scheduled on Sunday. The USA squad secured a medal behind a Marco Diaz masterpiece, who pitched the complete game and struck out 10, giving up only one hit and a walk.
The North Americans put together a four-run rally in the bottom of the second to get a comfortable lead, and they never looked back. Braden Ducharme (who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored) drove in the first run of the game with a single.
The red, white and blue team added two more in the third frame, with a double from Yussuf Davies, who later scored on a wild pitch.
First baseman Erick Ochoa drove in the walk-off run in the bottom of the sixth with a single to right field.
Fifth-place game: Czechia 0 – 3 Argentina – Play by Play and Box Score
Argentina defeated Czechia 3-0, behind a complete-game shutout by Pablo Migliavacca, to claim fifth place in the competition. Migliavacca struck out 10 and allowed three hits and a walk.
Ladislao Malarczuk hit a lead-off homer in the first inning to give Argentina the early lead, and one inning later drove in the second run of the game with a single to centre field. A Luciano Biondi single in the same inning produced the third and last run of the game.
Argentina finished fifth in the event, while Czechia closed in sixth position.
Seven-place game: Singapore 5 – 12 Australia – Play by Play and Box Score
Australia rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a three-run homer from Brendon O’Byrne and a two run shot by Ryan King to complete a 12-5 comeback victory against Singapore, to claim seventh place in the competition.
King went 3-for-4 with four RBIs to command an 11 hit offensive effort for the Aussie Steelers.
Jeremy Garland pitched the five innings, giving up five hits and five runs, with six strikeouts.
Singapore finished the competition in eighth place.
Czechia vs Singapore – Play by Play and Box Score
Adam Lunak and George Harris drove in four runs each, commanding Czechia’s come-from-behind victory against Singapore, 15-10, and advanced to the fifth-place game this afternoon, where they will face Argentina.
The European champions recovered from a 9-1 deficit, in part thanks to a bad defensive game from Singapore, which committed six errors in the game.
Harris, Lunak, Tomas Klein and David Jaluska homered for Czechia; while Ivan Tan hit a grand slam for Singapore in their seven-run third inning.
Australia vs Argentina – Play by Play and Box Score
Argentina blasted three homers in four innings to defeat Australia, 12-1, and qualify for the fifth place game to be played later today. Alan Peker, Gonzalo Ojeda and Luciano Biondi went yard to fuel Argentina’s victory.
For Australia, Callum Beashel homered in third inning. It was not their only run, but also the Aussie Steelers only hit of the game.
Pablo Migliavacca was the winner for Argentina (3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 8 K), while Mathew Beckett took the loss.
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