Gordon homers as Puerto Rico closes with 4-1 win over Venezuela

Puerto Rico defeated today Venezuela by a score of 4-1 and concluded its participation at the WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier. A two-run homer by Carsyn Gordon was the decisive play of the game.

In the first two innings Puerto Rico put a runner in third base, but in both occasions Desiree Ybarra escaped the jam with a strikeout to end the inning. But in the third episode the left handed pitcher couldn’t avoid the damage. Elicia D’Orazio bunted for an infield single, and then Carsyn Gordon hit an opposite field 2-run homer to put the score 2-0.

Carsyn Gordon has homered in back to back games pic.twitter.com/1o4ucVCqrq

— WBSC Softball #RoadToTokyo (@WBSCsoftball) September 1, 2019

Venezuela answered with one run in the top of the fourth. Denisse Fuenmayor and Ana Coscorrosa opened the inning with back to back singles, putting runners in the corners with no outs. Xeana Dung retired the next two hitters with a fly ball and a strikeout, but then Jocelin Diaz connected a line drive directly to pitcher’s left knee and ended in the right field, producing the first and only run for the South American nation.

Jena Cozza gave her team a three-run lead in the bottom of the fifth. Puerto Rico loaded the bases on a single by Quianna Diaz and walks by Gordon and Alessia Ocasio. Michelle Floyd replaced Ybarra but Cozza hit an opposite field line-drive to plate Diaz and Gordon and make it 4-1.

The winner fo the game was Taran Alvelo, who pitched 2 innings and allowed only 1 hit with 3 strikeouts. Dung relieved for 2 episodes and surrendered 1 run and 4 hits, while Ocasio fanned 6 in 3 episodes to close the game.

Special moment

In the bottom of the sixth episode two softball legends concluded a fantastic career. Beijing 2008 Olympians Maria Soto and Denisse Fuenmayor retired from the Venezuelan National Team, receiving a standing ovation. A nice ending for two brilliant careers.

Olympians Denisse Fuenmayor and @SOTOMJ14 retired today
Thank you legends of our sport! #Olympians #Venezuela #Softball pic.twitter.com/2W2YwjE2dZ

— WBSC Softball #RoadToTokyo (@WBSCsoftball) September 1, 2019