Curaçao wins ECASC Women’s Softball Qualifier; BVI places 4th

(WBSC) – Back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Curaçao a 3-2 win over the host team in the final of the English Caribbean Amateur Softball Confederation (ECASC) Women’s Softball Qualifier (March 1-5).

Curaçao earned a spot in the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador after a narrow 3-2 win over hosts US Virgin Islands, in the final of the English Caribbean Amateur Softball Confederation (ECASC) Women’s Fast-Pitch Tournament Qualifier, at the National Park Ball Field in St. John.

A total of six teams made the trip to the US Virgin Islands, aiming to claim the last available spot for the El Salvador 2023 Games: Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica, Sint Maarten and US Virgin Islands.

Curaçao went undefeated in the opening round to advance to the final, followed by the US Virgin Islands with a 4-1 record. Aruba (3-2) and the British Virgin Islands (2-3) qualified for the bronze medal game.

In the final, the host team took the lead in the first inning, thanks to a two-RBI single off the bat of Kiara Richards. Curaçao scored once in the fourth, on a bases-loaded walk, and one inning later Jandely Ricardo and Julisa Koffy hit back to back homers to give their team the decisive lead.

From the circle, J’dah Girigorie earned the win holding the USVI to three hits over seven innings, with a tournament-best 16 strikeouts.

Aruba clinched the bronze medal with a 9-8 walkoff win over the British Virgin Islands, in an electric game. Jennysela Tromp produced the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the seventh.

BVI Head Coach Neville ‘Sheep’ Smith told the media he thinks the team played well despite the time they had to pactice and train.