26/08/2019 2 Minute Read

Jimenez, Barrios lead Venezuela past Dominican Republic

Mirian Jimenez and Yulexys Barrios produced five runs with a pair of homers to guide Venezuela to victory over Dominican Republic, 7-3, in the first day of competition of the WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier. Venezuela recovered from a 3-1 deficit to claim the first win of the tournament. In the first inning Dominican cleanup hitter, […]

In the first inning Dominican cleanup hitter, Geovanny Nuñez hit a 2-out RBI triple to the right-field corner to plate Claudia Santana, who had singled to lead off the game.

Venezuela tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Veteran first baseman Maria Soto hit a line drive to center field for a stand up double and advanced to third with a single by Denisse Fuenmayor. Then Ana Coscorrosa hit a grounder, Soto was caught in a rundown but scored anyway when Rosaury Perez lost the ball trying to tag her, allowing the Venezuelan first baseman to score the tying run.

In the top of the second Clari Saldaña hit a line-drive double to left field off Desiree Ybarra to open the inning. And Lupe Matos homered on a 0-2 count, for a two-run homer to center field to give Dominican Republic the lead for the second time in the game.

However, Venezuela came from behind in the bottom of the third with Jimene’s 3-run homer. The third baseman came to the plate with runners on first and second and belted a towering homer that landed in the fifth row of the left-field bleachers to make it 4-3.

Mirian Jimenez!!!! 🇻🇪 🇻🇪 💣 💣 #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/UR1Y9aKHhP

— WBSC #RoadToTokyo (@WBSCsoftball) August 25, 2019

Venezuela added a run in the fourth with an RBI single off the bat of Soto, who hit a bloop behind shortstop to plate Kimberly Caicedo.

In the top of the fifth Dominican Republic put two runners on base with one out, with singles by Rosaury Perez and Anabel Ulloa. Head Coach Delio Lopez sent Michelle Floyd to the circle in substitution of Ybarra, and the right-hander escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to Rivera and Nuñez. Ybarra left the game after 4.1 innings of work, allowing 3 runs and 6 hits, with 4 strikeouts; and claimed the win.

One inning later Venezuela added two more insurance runs. Estefany Duno singled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and Barrios connected a 2-run homer to center field as a pinch hitter to make it 7-3.