Big inning leads USA past Chinese Taipei at WBSC Softball World Championship

United States collected its second win of the tournament at the WBSC Softball World Championship, and leads the Group A with a perfect record. Today they beat Chinese Taipei, 7-0, in five innings of play.

USA’s middle infielders Delaney Spaulding and Ali Aguilar led the offensive for the American team posting 3 RBIs each. The short stop went 2 for 3 with a double and a home run; while the second baseman went 1 for 2 with a double and a walk.

USA put on base the first two hitters of the game, but couldn’t score any run. Haylie McCleney hit an infield hit to short stop, and Ali Aguilar followed with a wilk. However Spaulding failed with a bunt fly, an then starter Ya-Ting Tu escaped the jam with two grounders to short stop.

Chinese Taipei also placed a runner on scoring position in its first attack. Meng-Ting Lai singled up the middle. One out later advanced with a sacrifice bunt, but then was stranded there on a grounder to end the inning.

In the top of the second USA built a big inning to take a 5-0 lead. Kristy Merrit set the tone with a leadoff double to right field, and then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Aubrey Munro. Jannette Reed and McCleney followed with consecutive walks to load the bases, and Ali Aguilar hit a double to center field to empty the bases. The second baseman scored with a double by Spaulding to right.

In the top of the fourth Spaulding stepped up to the batter’s box whit Reed on second (she had singled to get on base) and hit an opposite field home run to make it 7-0.

Left handed starter Keilani Ricketts was in control of the game since the beginning. She completed the shutout allowing only 3 hits, with 4 strikeouts and no walks. The loss was charged to Ya-Ting Tu, who lasted 1.1 innings receiving 5 runs.

Tomorrow USA (2-0) will play a doubleheader. At 10:00 local time they will play against the European champions, Netherlands. Then at 18:00 they will jump to the diamond to play New Zealand.

In the other hand, Chinese Taipei (2-1) will face Puerto Rico at 12:30 local time.