HOUSTON, Texas – It was a slow offensive night for the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as the U.S. dropped a 4-2 decision to Scrap Yard Fast Pitch. In a back-and-forth contest between the two sides, the game was tied until the top of the sixth when Scrap Yard pulled ahead for the eventual win.
Click here for box scores from the Houston Series
Scrap Yard scored in the top of the first inning after a leadoff single and walk put two on. A groundout advanced each runner a base and the U.S. looked like they would get out of the jam after Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) caught the runner at third attempting to steal home on a passed ball. The at-bat continued, however, with a walk and single to left field to plate a run.
The U.S. got on the board in the bottom of the second inning after Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) walked and moved to second on a single by Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.). Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) advanced each runner with a sac bunt and Sahvanna Jaquish (Highland, Calif.) hit a sac fly to left to score a run.
Scrap Yard regained a one run lead in the next at-bat after a leadoff single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases with one out. A sac fly to right field gave the runner at third time to tag and score, making it a 2-1 deficit for Team USA.
The game became tied for the second time in the contest in the bottom of the frame after Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) walked and scored on a double by Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) and remained tied through the next two innings until Scrap Yard took the lead for good in the top of the sixth. A single, double and walk loaded the bases with two outs and a fly ball to left field, which Kirsti Merritt (Lake Panasoffkee, Fla.) dove for, was called a no catch and allowed Scrap Yard to plate two.
The U.S. looked to score in their final at-bat of the game in the bottom of the seventh after Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) led off with a single and reached second on a fielder’s choice by Stewart. Arioto’s fourth walk of the game loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the game with Scrap Yard taking the win.
Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) suffered the loss, entering in the top of the fifth and striking out four while allowing two runs on four hits. Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) started in the circle for Team USA, allowing two runs with three strikeouts in two and one-third innings while Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) fanned two batters in one and two-third innings of work.
Team USA and Scrap Yard Fast Pitch face off in their final contest at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 30. Admission is free, while live stats and live streaming are available with links at USASoftball.com.
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations. USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.