Elise Berger’s outing lifts USA to 3-2 win over Australia
USA defeated Australia 3-2 behind a great pitching performance by their starter Elise Berger on Game 2 of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada.
A pitching duel was expected between two of the rising stars of the game. Berger took the ball for USA while Genevieve Beacom started for Australia. However, the outcome of their outings was not the same. Berger was the winning pitcher after 5.2 innings of work and 84 pitches. She allowed two hits and one run, with a strikeout.
On the other side, after two scoreless innings, Beacom lost command of her pitches in the third, walking three consecutive hitters. Then she tossed a nasty breaking ball to Alex Hugo that Aussie catcher Madisson Heath could not glove, allowing the first run of the game crossing the plate on a passed ball. She was pulled one batter later, but Allison Steane walked Remi Schaber to score the second run of the game.
Australia scored twice in the sixth frame, on a grounder from Abbey McLellan and a single off the bat of Caitlin Eynon. On the play, Jillian Albayati thrown out Leah Cornish at home plate with a perfect throw. USA now lead 3-2.
