World Cup of Softball X: USA battles Japan for title
World Cup of Softball X: USA battles Japan for title
U.S. SOFTBALL WOMEN PARALLEL U.S. SOCCER WOMEN
The coincidences were uncanny.
At roughly the same time the U.S. Women’s Softball team was facing Japan in the World Cup of Softball X tournament in Irvine, Calif., the U.S. Women’s Soccer team was taking the field in Vancouver, Canada to battle… Japan.
In 2011, the Japanese soccer team beat the U.S. in the World Cup and in 2013, the last time the two teams met in the World Cup of Softball, the Japanese topped the U.S. softball team 6-3.
Last year, the Americans defeated Canada so whoever would win in Irvine on Sunday would take two of the last three World Cup softball championships.
The U.S. team took the No. 1 seed into the game after no-hitting Venezuela on Saturday and appeared to have the momentum today, especially early on.
During the softball finale, the PA announcer periodically updated the World Cup soccer store and the crowd went crazy when it was announced the U.S. team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first 16 minutes.
The soccer team would go on to win 5-2 and the fast start on the soccer pitch mirrored what happened on the softball field.
The Americans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a two run triple by Amanda Chidester and an RBI single from Lauren Gibson.
However, the United States bats went quiet after Japanese starting pitcher Kasumi Hirahara was pulled after just won inning.
In the second, Japan’s Saki Yamazaki tripled but was later thrown out at home on a strong throw by shortstop Kellie Fox. Yamazaki, however, came back in the 4th inning with a home run to put Japan on the board.
Hikari Kondo and Yamato Fujita would shut down the U.S. batters, recording 12 straight outs until the U.S. blew it open in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the sixth Japan put a runner at second with one out but was unable to score.
In the bottom of the inning, the U.S. loaded the bases without getting a hit as Michelle Moltrie was hit by a pitch, Valierie Arioto reached on a fielder’s choice as the throw to second pulled the fielder off the base and Lauren Gibson reached on an error.
Janelle Lindvall then doubled with a blast over the left fielder’s head to score Moltrie and Arioto and Gibson would come in on a sacrifice fly by Haley McCleney to make the score 6-1.
The U.S. pitching was a key to the championship as Jessica Moore pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up only three hits and a walk while recording six strikeouts and the one earned run on the homer.
Sara Nevins came in with one out in the 5th inning and didn’t give up a hit in her 2 2/3 innings pitched.
The title win gave the U.S. a 5-2 record against Japan at the World Cup and eight wins in the 10 years of the World of Softball.
IN OTHER GAMES:
*** Claudio Rivera started the Puerto Rico vs. Canada game off with a bang as she hit a three-run homer in the top of the first to put Puerto Rico ahead 3-0.
Canada got on the board in the bottom of the second without a hit as Erika Polidori walked and scored on an error.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Canadians pulled within a run as Polidori hit a sacrifice fly to score Joey Lye and it looked like Canada would tie the game on a grounder to short, but Jennifer Yee was thrown out at the plate.
In the bottom of the seventh, pitcher Meghan King of Puerto Rico gave up a walk and then two errors loaded the bases with one out.
However, King was able to get a come-backer which she threw home for out No. 2 and she closed out the win with a grounder to second to give Puerto Rico the 3-2 victory and a 3rd place finish.
*** The USA Jr. Women finished on a high note, squeaking by Mexico 6-5 to finish with a .500 record at 4-4.
Trailing by a 5-1 score going into the bottom of the fourth, the Jr. team would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth and push ahead the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Nicole DeWitt, who only a few weeks ago won a National Championship with the Florida Gators.
DeWitt would end up going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Madi Nickles, the only high school underclassman on the team, was big as well, singling in a run in the 4th inning and drawing a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to account for her second RBI.
Kelly Barnhill started for the U.S. and went three innings giving up four earned runs while striking out five. Zoe Conley came in in relief and effectively shut down the Mexican team allowing only one earned run in four innings of work.
Koral Costa had a strong game for Mexico in defeat, going 2-for-4 with a second inning home run and a third inning single.
*** In the battle of the bottom two seeds, Venezuela blanked winless Argentina 3-0 behind pitcher Anyibel Ramirez who pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless play.
She scattered three hits and struck out two. Ana Coscorrosa’s RBI single in the sixth inning scored Maria Soto and proved to be the difference. The victors added two more in the inning and Alondra Perez came in for the final four outs to record the save.
FINAL STANDINGS
- 1 USA (7-1-0)
- 2 Japan (5-3-0)
- 3 Puerto Rico (5-3-0)
- 4 Canada (5-3-0)
- 5 USA Jr. Women (4-4-0)
- 6 Mexico (3-5-0)
- 7 Venezuela (3-5-0)
- 8 Argentina (0-8-0)
SUNDAY, JULY 5 RESULTS
- Venezuela 3, Argentina 0
- USA Jr. Women 6, Mexico 5
- Puerto Rico 3, Canada 2
- USA 6, Japan 1
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