OKLAHOMA CITY – In their first competition of the 2016 season, the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) split their doubleheader exhibition matchup in Oklahoma City against the National Pro Fastpitch’s (NPF) Dallas Charge and Scrap Yard Dawgs. In Game One of the day, Team USA used an explosive, four-run fifth inning to capture an 8-7 win over the Dallas Charge before falling 9-3 to the Scrap Yard Dawgs in Game Two.
Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) led the U.S. in Game One, going 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) had a 1-for-2 performance in Game Two with a two-run, home run for two RBI.
Click here for box scores from Team USA’s doubleheader in OKC
Game One: USA 8, Dallas Charge 7
Team USA’s bats started out slow but quickly caught fire in the fourth and fifth innings en route to capturing an 8-7 victory over the Dallas Charge in Game One of their doubleheader. Scoring seven combined runs in the fourth and fifth, Team USA’s offense came out hot against the Dallas Charge pitching staff.
Team USA got on the board first thanks to a single by Chidester up the middle to score Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.), who reached on a fielder’s choice early in the inning. The Red, White and Blue were quieted for a few innings until Chidester woke the bats back up with a single to the left side in the bottom of the fourth. Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) would follow with a sac fly to score Moultrie. Kasey Cooper (Dothan, Ala.) would extend the U.S. lead with a two-run homer to dead center, bringing home McCleney.
Team USA continued to plate runners in the bottom of the fifth as Stewart led off the two-out rally with a double to center and was followed by a Moultrie walk to set Chidester up for an RBI single, scoring Stewart. The Eagles continued to soar as Arioto blasted a three-run home run to extend the USA lead to 8-0.
The Dallas Charge would not go down without a fight as they plated six runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Charge would score on a hit-by-pitch, a bases loaded walk to Kaitlyn Richardson, a two-run double by Chelsea Forkin, and a two-run double by Vicky Galasso in the sixth inning. They would follow suit with an RBI single by Brianna Cherry in the seventh inning to bring the game within one run.
Despite the Charge’s comeback effort, Team USA’s defense was able to hold on for the 8-7 win.
From the circle, Jessica Moore (Sutter, Calif.) started the game, allowing one run over three and a third innings with two strikeouts. Delanie Gourley (Lakeside, Calif.) would come out of the bullpen throwing two complete innings, allowing no runs en route to picking up the win.
Taking the loss in the circle was Jill Compton for the Dallas Charge. Compton would throw four innings of work allowing four runs on four hits.
Game Two, Scrap Yard Dawgs 9, USA 3
Team USA would fall short to the Scrap Yard Dawgs in Game Two of their NPF doubleheader, falling 9-3. The Scrap Yard Dawgs pitching staff stifled the U.S. offense, allowing just four hits through seven innings.
It was a slow start for the U.S. as the Scrap Yard Dawgs pitching staff held the WNT scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. Trailing 7-0, Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) started the bottom of the third with a double to right field, before Moultrie would send the first pitch she saw over the left field wall, plating two to put the Eagles on the board.
The Scrap Yard Dawgs would extend their lead to 9-2 in the top of fifth. Emily Crane would lead off the inning with a hard grounder to right field, followed by a Nerissa Myers long ball to give the Dawgs a 9-2 lead.
Despite a run in the sixth, the U.S. comeback effort would fall short with Team USA taking a 9-3 loss.
From the circle, Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) got the start and was handed the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in two innings of work.
Sara Driesenga would pick up the win for the Scrap Yard Dawgs, allowing two runs on three hits and four strikeouts in the five inning effort.
Up next for the Red, White and Blue is a doubleheader exhibition game rematch against the Dallas Charge and Scrap Yard Dawgs on Friday, June 17 in McKinney, Texas. The first game of the doubleheader begins at 4 p.m. CT and live stats can be found at USASoftball.com.
Follow along with both the WNT and Elite Team this summer on their road to Gold at www.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 2.2 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 nine 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.
