Haarlem, Netherlands – The USA Softball Women’s National Team moved to 6-0 and locked up a first-place seed in the playoffs of the International Softball Federation (ISF) Women’s World Championship by defeating Dominican Republic 10-0 (four innings) on Wednesday. Playing on her 21st birthday, Hallie Wilson (Santa Ana, Calif.) stood out going 2-3 with a two-run single in the third and a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Jolene Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif.) picked up her second win of the World Championship throwing the complete four innings and allowing just two hits while striking out seven.
Dominican Republic held the USA scoreless in the first but the runs came in the second. Two walks and an error loaded the bases to start the inning and a third walk scored Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) from third. With the bases still juiced, Destinee Martinez (Corona, Calif.) flied out to left field and Taylor Hoagland (Flower Mound, Texas) tagged at third and easily crossed home. In the next at-bat Raven Chavanne (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) singled to load the bases back up and a walk scored Wilson from third. When the dust settled on the top of the second, Team USA held a 3-0 lead.
Henderson needed just eight pitches in the bottom of the second and 10 in the third to retire the side as she struck out five-of-six batters in the two frames.
In the top of the third, the USA Women continued their scoring run as Arioto and Hoagland each walked to start the at-bat and Wilson’s single to left field brought them each around to score. Later in the at-bat, Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) singled to center field scoring a sixth USA run and after having reached on an error, Martinez crossed home on a wild to make it USA 7, Dominican Republic 0.
Wilson’s three-run homer in the fourth plated both Hoagland and Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) and provided the Americans with the 10 runs they needed to meet run-rule requirements after four innings of play. Henderson returned to the circle in the bottom half of the inning needing three outs to end the game. The California native allowed just one hit in the frame while striking out one and getting two others to ground out to second base.
The 10-0 victory was the sixth for the Americans in the World Championship and their fourth by run rule. USA will face Italy at 2 p.m. (7 a.m. CDT) on Thursday in the final pool-play game before the playoff portion of the tournament starts on Friday. Live streaming and live stats are available via www.USASoftball.com throughout the ISF World Championship. Log on and follow Team USA as they seek a tenth World Championship Gold.
