USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico secure first three spots in Group A

Group A of the WBSC Softball World Championship has already the first three teams qualified for the playoffs. USA, Puerto Rico and Mexico will advance to the playoffs as the top three teams of the group.

USA 8-1 Puerto Rico

United States clinched the first place in Group A of the WBSC Softball World Championship with an 8-1, five-innings win over Puerto Rico in the first game of the day in Zett A Ball Park. Both teams advance to the playoffs and will have double life, since the Caribbean team ends at second place in the Group A.

Abbot started strong in the first inning retiring the side, but in the top of the second Karla Claudio hit the ball in the lower part of the zone and deposited it over the center field fence for a solo home run.

USA’s answer came in the bottom of the third, with a four-run inning. Haylie Mc Cleney hit a leadoff double and Ali Aguilar followed with an RBI single. Meghan King replaced Aleshia Ocasio in the circle, and one out later Valerie Arioto was intentionally walked to face Sahvanna Jaquish. With one ball and two strikes, the third baseman hammered an inside pitch to hit a three-run home run, to take the lead, 4-1.

One inning later Aguilar took the bat with two runners on (Aubree Munro hit a high fly ball that was misplayed by the defense, and Janette Reed singled), and capitalized a mistake from King, who left a 2-2 pitch in the middle of the zone, to smash a moon shot to center field to make the score 7-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Michelle Moultrie hit a walkoff RBI single to end the game.

Monica Abbott had a great game this morning. She faced 16 hitters in five innings, and retired consecutively the last 12 opponents she faced. She ended with 11 strikeouts and no walks, and allowed only the solo homer by Claudio in the second inning.

For Puerto Rico Aleshia Ocasio was charged with the loss in 2 innings of work.

Both teams completed with this game the round robin of the World Championship. USA clinched the number one in Group A with perfect record and will play next Friday at 15:30 local time against the second of the Group B. In the other hand, Puerto Rico ends second with 6 wins and 1 loss, and will start the playoffs on Friday, at 19:00 local time, against the top seeded from Group B.

Mexico 4-3 Chinese Taipei

Mexico finished round robin at third place in Group A, with record of 5-2, after beating Chinese Taipei, 4-3, in a good softball game. Dallas Escobedo claimed her fourth win of the tournament with 7 strikeouts.

A three-run rally in the top of the second allowed Mexico to take the lead in the score. A two RBI single ba Sashel Palacios bring home the first two runs of the game, and then Bridgett Del Ponte doubled to produce one more for Mexico.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Miao-Yi Chen hit a single, and then came back home walking, since Szu-Shih Li homered to center field to make the score 3-2.

In the fifth inning both teams scored one run. Mexico did it with a sac fly by Anissa Urtez, while Chinese Tapei replied with an RBI double off the bat of Yi Yen. The Asian team had bases loaded and one out, but then Yi-Ting Yan lined out to third baseman Del Ponte for a double play.

After that, Escobedo settled in allowed nothing the last two innings to close the door.

Mexico finishes at third place in Group A, and will start the playoffs on Friday, at 10:00 am, against the fourth place of Group B.