United States defeated today Netherlands and New Zealand and climbed to the top of the standings in Group B of the WBSC Softball World Championship. The defending world champions are unbeaten after four games.
USA 11-0 Netherlands
United States defeated Netherlands, 11-0, in the first game of the day in the WBSC Softball World Championship held in Chiba, Japan. The had two big innings to support a magnificent performance by Monica Abbot, who threw a no-no and was one walk away of perfection.
The Nehterlands put a runner in scoring position in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Soclaina Van Gurp earned walk and stole second base. But Abbot struck out the next three batters to hang the first zero of the match.
USA also put runners on base in the first three innings of the game, but was in the third when they took the lead. Haylie Mc Clenney was in second, after a fielder’s choice and a stolen base, and scored with an RBI single by Janette Reed. After that, Ali Aguilar attacked a pitch in the bottom third of the zone and hit it over the center field fence for a 2-run homer.
One inning later USA rallied for eight runs, including a pair of 2-run bombs off the bats of Aubree Munro and Reed to make the score 11-0.
Abbot was in absolute control since the beginning. After that first walk of the game in the first inning, she struck out 9 consecutive hitters, for a total of 10 in the game.The left-hander dominated with the speed, movement and locations of her pitches, keeping the hitters guessing.
Netherlands now is 1-2. Both teams will again later in Akitsu Stadium. Tomorrow Netherlands will play against Chinese Taipei.
USA 7-0 New Zealand
On its second game of the day USA defeated New Zealand 7-0 in five innings, and earned its fourth consecutive win of the event.
In the bottom of the first Valerie Arioto produced the first run of the game with an RBI single to center field to plate Janette Reed. Then she scored with the second single of the inning, off the bat of Michelle Moultrie.
One inning later, with a runner on base, Kristi Merritt found an outside-high pitch and hit deep to right field for a two run homer, make it a 4-0 game.
In the fourth period Janette Reed drove in the fifth run of her team with a double to left field, and in the fifth USA ended the game with a 2-RBI, walkoff single by Moultrie.
Kelly Barnhill earned the win in four innings of work, allowing only 2 hits and a walk. She fanned 3 opponents. The loss was charged to Rita Hokianga, who lasted only 1.1 innings and surrendered 3 runs and 6 hits.
Tomorrow USA will play Philippines at 18:00; while New Zealand, still winless, will face South Africa at 12:30 local time.
