For the second year in a row, Team Canada will not be playing in the final game of the Canadian Open.
And, for the second year in a row, their road to Bronze will go through Australia, the same nation that beat them last year and relegated the Canadians to fourth place.
On Sunday, in the 8:30 p.m. game, Team Japan dispatched of Canada for the second time at this year's Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. Japan scored two runs in the fifth – after the Canadians had just tied it in the top of the fifth – and walked away with a 3-1 victory.
Japan also beat Canada, 3-2, in round robin play. Team USA awaits the Japanese, as those squads will go at it for all the marbles for the second straight year. Last year, Japan beat the USA 1-0 for Gold.
Pitcher Karissa Hovinga allowed three runs in just over four innings, while pitcher Mika Someya threw four innings for Japan, allowing no runs and just three hits. She also struck out four.
Misato Kawano led the way for Japan at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Shortstop Joey Lye had Canada's lone RBI, knocking in Megan Timph in the fifth inning.
Earlier in the day, Team USA beat Australia 2-0 through seven innings to reach Monday's final.