Takasaki City, Japan — Behind a 2-for-3 performance from Team USA veteran Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.), the USA Softball Women’s National Team captured a 3-1 win over Australia to open up play at the 2016 Japan Cup. In addition to Arioto’s strong performance at the plate, USA’s Jessica Moore (Sutter, Calif.) came out hot in the circle, issuing just three hits and one run through five innings en route to the win.
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“We played pretty good today, and our pitchers threw really well,” said Assistant Coach Howard Dobson. “Jess threw a really great game , keeping her pitch count to under 60 through five innings, and then Delanie came in to shut them down. They both did a great job of minimizing the momentum and didn’t let the Australian offense get anything going. Our offense swung the bat really well. When we had the opportunity to drive in runs we stepped up and got it done.”
The game was scoreless through the first inning of play despite both offenses putting runners on base. In the top of the first, Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) singled with one out but was stranded at first as the American side was retired with a pair of strikeouts. For Australia, a single and fielder’s choice allowed two runners on base before Janie Takeda (Placentia, Calif.) recorded a double play on a fly ball to center field to end the at-bat.
The U.S. would strike first in the top of the second inning after Kasey Cooper (Dothan, Ala.) led off with a single to center. A sac bunt by Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) advanced Cooper to second before Bianka Bell (Tampa, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. On a 1-0 count, Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) singled to bring Cooper home. Takeda followed suit with a single to center field, plating Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.), who entered the game for Bell.
Team USA recorded their second double play of the game in the bottom of the second after a one-out single. A hard chopper to Cooper at third base presented the opportunity for the out at second and Stewart fired the ball to Carda at first to record the third out of the inning. The game remained at a 2-0 lead for Team USA until the bottom of the fourth when Australia would send out a solo home run. Moore fired back, however, keeping Team USA’s lead through the next two innings of play.
The U.S. added to their lead in the top of the sixth inning after capitalizing on a bases loaded situation. Arioto led-off the U.S. at-bat with a single and moved to second on a walk to Cooper. The bases would become loaded after Carda was hit by a pitch, setting up the opportunity for pinch hitter Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) Spaulding delivered, sending a deep fly ball to left field to record a sac fly and make it a 3-1, U.S. ball game.
Delanie Gourley (Lakeside, Calif.) entered the game in relief in the bottom of the sixth and picked up right where Moore left off. Gourley issued two strikeouts, a walk and a single through two complete innings to secure the U.S. 3-1 win.
Moore got the “W” for the U.S., allowing just three hits, one walk, and one run while issuing two strikeouts in five innings of work. Arioto led the offense, going 2-for-3 with one run scored, while Stewart was 2-for-4.
The U.S. will return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader to close out round-robin action at the 2016 Japan Cup. First up, the Red, White, and Blue will face Chinese Taipei at 3 p.m. JST (1 a.m. CT) and will close out the evening with host country Japan at 6 p.m. JST (4 a.m. CT). Fans at home can follow along with live stats, recaps and more at ASAUSASoftball.com.
About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.02 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won 10 World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.
