International & NPF

USA Softball Wins 2016 World Softball Championship with 7-3 Win over Japan

USA Softball

Surrey, B.C., Canada  —  After earning their right to play in the Gold Medal game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s World Championship, the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) hoisted the World Championship trophy in the air after defeating the two-time defending champions Japan 7-3.  This marks the first time since 2010 that the U.S. has won the WBSC Women’s World Championship and marks the program’s 10th overall title.

Box Score

“The team bought into what we’re trying to do,” said Head Coach Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.).  “We haven’t won a World Championship since Venezuela in 2010.  To be able to do this after battling in 2012 with a brand new team, in 2014 with a brand new team and this time with a staff that has had a few World Championships under their belt speaks volumes.  They earned the right to play in this game.  I told them before the game ‘You earned the right, and that’s what our goal has been.  Now that you earned the right, do something about it.’  I watched them play today, and you look at those 18 athletes and it’s a maturing moment.  With this group, the Elite Team and the coaches we have in the program, it’s going to be an exciting future for USA Softball.”

The U.S. struck big in the top of the first inning, scoring four runs on a two-out rally.  Jazmyn Jackson (San Jose, Calif.) led things off with a double to right field and a walk to Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) put two runners on base.  Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif) then stepped up to the plate, singling with a hard ground ball up the middle to bring the speedy Jackson home from second.  A batter later, Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) stepped up big with a three-run shot over the right field fence to make it a 4-0 USA lead.

Japan would respond in the bottom of the first with a run.  After a leadoff walk from USA’s starting pitcher Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.), a single from Eri Yamada brought home Natsuko Sugama to cut Team USA’s lead to 4-1.

After the U.S. was retired in order in the top of the second, Japan looked to score in the bottom of the frame.  After a one out single put a runner on base, Jessica Moore (Sutter, Calif.) entered the circle for the U.S. and issued a strikeout for the second out of the inning.  A hit batter put two on for Japan, and a single from Sugama almost cut the U.S. lead in half, but a throw in from Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) in center field threw out the runner at home to keep it a 4-1, U.S. lead.

Team USA would add three insurance runs in the top of the fourth inning.  Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led off the at-bat with a single and advanced to second on a single from Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.).  This prompted a pitching change for Japan, as Yamata Fujita entered in relief for Yukari Hamamura.  On a 2-0 pitch, McCleney blasted the ball for a three-run shot, giving the U.S. a 7-1 edge over Japan.  Japan would respond in the bottom of the fourth off a solo shot by Yuka Ichiguchi.

Jaclyn Traina (Naples, Fla.) entered in relief in the bottom of the fifth and issued a popup to Spaulding at short before Misato Kawano picked up a solo home run.  Traina was able to work out of a jam, keeping the U.S. up 7-3.

Both sides would be retired without crossing the plate through the top of the seventh, bringing Japan to their final at-bat.  With Delanie Gourley (Lakeside, Calif.) in the circle for the U.S., a fly out to Jackson in right field, a groundout to Carda at first and a strikeout ended the game with the Red, White and Blue earning the 7-3 win.

Moore earned the win in the circle for the U.S., pitching two and two-third innings with one run, two strikeouts and four hits allowed.  Carda finished the game with one strikeout, two runs and two hits in her two innings of work, while Traina issued one hit and one run in one inning.  Gourley closed out the game with one strikeout and one hit in one and a third innings in relief.  Hamamura suffered the loss for Japan, lasting just three and a third innings with seven runs and seven hits allowed.

“I’m so proud of this team,” said Arioto.  “It was so exciting getting to that Championship Game, and everyone contributed in some way.  Throughout the week, we’ve all played for each other.  This team is a family.  We sacrifice for each other and get things done.  It was great to get the result we wanted, and all our hard work has paid off.”

With the win, the U.S. claims its 10th world championship, its first since 2010.  As a team, the U.S. finished the 2016 WBSC Women’s World Championship with a .436 team batting average, 19 home runs, 80 RBI and outscored opponents 83-10.  The pitching staff was lights out, allowing just eight earned runs for a 1.19 ERA.

Team USA will have some time off before returning to Japan for the Japan Cup, which will be held September 2-4 in Takasaki, Japan.  Follow along with Team USA all year long 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 2.2 million.  ASA/USA Softball 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.

About the World Baseball Softball Confederation 

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland — the Olympic Capital — the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 213 National Federation and Associate Members in 142 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually.

The WBSC also governs all international competitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships (Men, Women, U-19 Men, and U-19 Women), Premier12, World Baseball Classic, and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women’s).

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