(SB) The World Games of Softball

Sandman 70 and I are in Birmingham for all the softball. They have Hoover stadium looking really good, they did a good job with the fences, and they sodded the baseball field. So we have a softball size infield. We gators have five players playing in the Games:
Charla Echols, Amanda Lorenz, and Michelle Moltrie for USA. Alicia Ocasio and Jamie Hoover are playing for team Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and Mexico are the first game starting at 10 central time.
I’m posting on my phone so excuse any grammar or punctuation errors. We will keep you updated.

 

They pronounce Hoover’s Hi-me-a, which I’m sure is correct, but took us off guard.

 

Lele just led off the game with a home run. No doubter.

 

Lele really had a decent day. Six hit complete game and a home run and a triple, 2 runs scored, and an RBI.

 

The night session was adventurous. We got there just as they were clearing the stands due to the weather. It was lighting pretty well, and then a monsoon hit. There were sheets and sheets of hard rain. Sandman70 and I thought we were wasting our time and wanted to go back to the VRBO, but it was raining so hard we couldn't get to the car or bar. When we could finally think about leaving, we could not find the car. So, we walked for 15 minutes or so until I finally realized where we had parked. We were like two drowned rats. The drive back was adventurous, but we made it. We don't know what they are going to do with the schedule. Japan and Australia had just completed the 4th inning with the Australians on the barbie, 10-1. So, they have to play 3 more innings, and then the USA vs Italy. Stay tuned.

 

Update on schedule for today.
USA will now play Italy at 6:30 CDT today, Sunday 7/10
They will then play Chinese Taipei 30 minutes afterward.

 

Sorry to be so late. I will be cryptic and post the box scores from each game. Our Gators acquitted themselves well tonight. This is the box from USA vs Italy.
USA Women's National Teammore stats
Lineup AB R H RBI BB SO
Haylie McCleney 2 1 1 1 1 0
Amanda Lorenz 4 0 2 0 0 0
Charla Echols 4 0 1 0 0 0
Hannah Flippen 3 1 0 0 1 1
Kinzie Hansen 4 2 3 1 0 0
Deja Mulipola 3 1 2 0 0 0
Bubba Nickles 1 0 0 0 0 0
Taylor Pleasants 4 0 1 2 0 0
Michelle Moultrie2 0 1 2 0 0
Janae Jefferson 2 1 1 0 1 0
Ally Carda - - - - - -
Montana Fouts - - - - - -
Totals 29 6 12 6 3 1
I am just going to do the Gators, but they did very well

 

I am going to let you figure it out since it 12:30 CDT
USA vs Taipei
# Roster PA AB H TB 1B 2B 3B HR RBI R BB SO K-L
4 Charla Echols 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Haylie McCleney 4 4 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
9 Kinzie Hansen 3 2 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0
16 Michelle Moultrie 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Taylor Pleasants 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0
18 Amanda Lorenz 4 4 2 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
22 Janae Jefferson 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
34 Deja Mulipola 3 3 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
37 Hannah Flippen 3 3 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
Team Totals 29 25 9 14 6 2 0

 

Some notes: Amanda Chomped us before the game.
CTW acknowledged us as he came back from the 3rd base coaching box.
We were on the 2nd row behind the on-deck circle. Charla's Mom came all the way down there to speak to us. What a nice gesture.
We have seen very few Gator fans. Of course, there are fans from all over the world here, and a nicer bunch you could not ask for.
This is a great venue and is well done.
But, after all this, it is hotter than hell, and the humidity is dense.

 

Will update tomorrow.

 

Japan-Puerto Rico 7/11/2022
Miu Goto almost perfect as Japan sweeps Group B of The World Games
Goto was in control today. She had a perfect game bid until the seventh inning, when Carsyn Gordon lined a double to center field. She struck out 11 of the 22 batters faced, with 1 hit and no walks.

Japan scored one in the third with an RBI single by Kyoko Ishikawa, and rallied for four runs in the sixth, with a 2-RBI triple by Hitomi Kawabata and a 2-run home run by Minori Naito. The final run was scored in the sixth by Ayane Nakagawa via a passed ball.

Esperanza Coe took the loss in a six-inning outing, allowing 7 hits and 5 runs, registering 4 strikeouts.

With this result, undefeated Japan clinches first place in Group B and advances to the semifinals, along with second-place Australia (2-1). Puerto Rico (1-2) will compete in the placement round.

Alesia Ocasio played 3rd base with no hits and one error
Jamie Hoover played left field and was hitless and error-free

 

USA-Canada 7/11/22
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –– The U.S. Women’s National Team (WNT) closed out Opening Round at the 2022 World Games with a 10-2 (five innings) run-rule victory over No. 3 Canada to clinch the No. 1 spot in Group 1 with a perfect 3-0 record. Team USA will meet Australia in the Semifinal Round tomorrow at 7pm CT with the winner advancing to the gold medal matchup slated for Wednesday, June 13 at 8pm CT. Fans can tune in to the Semifinal and Medal Rounds on CBS Sports Network with live stats available on USASoftball.com.


With fans packed inside the Hoover Met Stadium for another Red, White and Blue evening, Team USA posted its third-straight win of the tournament behind a 2-for-2 day at the plate from Dejah Mulipola and a combined effort in the circle from Jailyn Ford and Megan Faraimo.


Getting the start in the circle was Ford who issued a quick 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first while the Canada defense returned the favor in the bottom of the frame to keep the score knotted, 0-0. The Eagles didn’t stay quiet long, though, as a leadoff walk to Hannah Flippen in the bottom of the second followed by a double from Kinzie Hansen and a single from Mulipola would give the U.S. a two-run edge before a fly out and two strikeouts ended the at-bat.


Remaining dominant in the circle, Ford retired the Canadian offense in order in the top of the third with two K’s and a ground out to send Haylie McCleney to the plate for a leadoff double to light a spark for the U.S. offense. Adding fuel to the fire, the Florida Gators duo of Amanda Lorenz and Charla Echols sent back-to-back singles through the infield to extend Team USA’s lead, 3-0. A sac-bunt and a strikeout would put two quick outs on the board with runners on second and third, but a walk to Mulipola and a bases loaded hit-by-pitch to Taylor Pleasants would add another run to the U.S. lead. With runners on every base, Michelle Moultrie stepped in to send a fielder’s choice ground ball to the shortstop who threw the ball off the helmet of Hansen and into the outfield while allowing another run to speed home to put the U.S. on top, 5-0.


Canada responded in the top of the fourth with a leadoff single followed by a home run over the left field fence before Faraimo took over pitching duties with no outs and a runner on first. Zoned in, the U.S. defense flashed the leather with a 4-6-3 double play up the middle to record two quick outs before Lorenz tracked down a deep fly ball in left field to limit the damage with the U.S. lead cut, 5-2.


Team USA would look to go down quietly in the bottom of the inning after a line out and pop out recorded two quick outs, but a walk to Echols followed by a home run off the bat of Flippen would put two more on the board for the Eagles. Adding to the rally, Hansen drew a walk to give the U.S. another base runner before a double from Mulipola advanced Hansen all the way home to put Team USA on top, 8-2. Chiming in on the fun, Pleasants followed suit with a two-run shot over the left field fence to extend the U.S. lead, 10-2 before a ground out sent the U.S. back to defense with the run-rule in affect. Proving superior in the final three outs of the game, Faraimo and the U.S. defense wasted no time with three quick ground outs to seal the 10-2 (five innings) run-rule win over Canada.


Seven of the nine U.S. batters recorded a hit in the win with Pleasants and Mulipola racking up three RBIs apiece followed by Flippen with two. Ford took control in the circle for the first three innings of the game with five strikeouts in the win while Faraimo kept the Canada offense off the bases through the final six outs.

Team USA's campaign to the 2022 World Games gold medal continues tomorrow as the Eagles head into the Semifinal Round against Group 2's No. 2 seed, Australia. To view standings between Group 1 and Group 2, visit WBSC.org.

 

Here is a fact from an impeccable source:
We had always wondered why Hannah never got a sniff at National Team tryouts.
It turns out that Hannah and Skylar both got invites and turned them down.

This is my opinion. There are 15 players on the NT roster. They are not going to let more than 3 Gators be on the squad.
Example: There were 4 Gators on the 2019 NT when the USA won the World Cup of Softball-Aubree Monroe, Kirsti Merritt, Michelle Moultrie, and Kelsey Stewart. After the tournament, Kirsti was cut, leaving 3 Gators for the Olympic Team.
Aubree did not make the team this year, and Kelsey is pregnant and cannot play. So, Amanda and Charla are magically on the team, and 3 Gators.
CTW is an assistant on the NT, and he knows the skinny. I bet he told Hannah and Skylar not to waste their time.
We will have another Gator make the team when Michelle decides to retire.

 

Today the softball games at the world games are on CBS Sports and also tomorrow.

 

A little funny. There were several Australian fans sitting to our right, and many of them look at the part. They are drinking Bud Light. Of course there are no Foster’s here but it just looks funny.

 

• This was an intense game. We got the bases loaded in the 2nd, and the unlikeliest of heroes, Janae Jefferson, doubled up the middle to drive in all the runs we would get or need.

Monica started and was sharp the first but struggled after that. She made it through 4 innings barely, then allowed a double to the first batter, and then Ally came in and threw a wild pitch to advance the runner to 3rd. Then she gave up a single to let them score their second run. Ally pitched very well from then on out except for walking the first batter in the 6th. Appropriately, she caught a popup for the last out of the game.

The Hoover Met Stadium has been the home of the SEC Baseball Tournament since 1998. The tournament features the top 12 teams from the Southeastern Conference, and draws more than 120,000 fans a year. The Met is also home to the Hoover High School Buccaneer football team, the 2016 AHSAA 7A State Champions. Inside the baseball stadium you will find seating for more than 10,800 guests, along with additional accommodations including ten private skyboxes, a picnic table with a pavilion, and a large banquet room that overlooks the field. For athletes, coaches, and trainers – we offer large, comfortable locker rooms and additional training rooms.
There were over 9,000 there today, and the crowd was into the game with a lot of USA, USA's. The exception was in our section. I have been to a lot of ballgames, but I have never so many people going in and out and up and down. As Sandman70, I went to a ballgame, and a concession stand broke out. Oh, well.

This has been a great week, and I am glad we came. We ate at Dreamland Barbecue this afternoon. I have heard about it for a long time. I will say it was good, but nowhere near the hype, it gets. We will try somewhere else if we are here again.

• USA Women's National Team Takes Victory Over Japan In Pitcher's Duel
• Both teams were strong in the circle Wednesday, but USA Women's National Team defeated Japan 3-2. USA Women's National Team pitchers allowed just eight hits to Japan.
• USA Women's National Team got things started in the second inning. Janae Jefferson doubled on a 3-1 count, scoring three runs.
• Monica Abbott got the win for USA Women's National Team. The fireballer surrendered two runs on seven hits over four innings, striking out three. Ally Carda threw three innings in relief out of the bullpen.
• Yamato Fujita toed the rubber for Japan. The hurler surrendered three runs on four hits over two innings, striking out one and walking one. Sakura Miwa threw four innings in relief out of the bullpen.
• Deja Mulipola went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead USA Women's National Team in hits.
• Japan racked up eight hits on the day. Minori Naito and Yui Sakamoto all collected multiple hits for Japan. Japan was sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Naito had the most chances in the field with eight.

USA Women's National Team
Lineup AB R H RBI BB SO
Haylie McCleney 3 0 1 0 0 0
Amanda Lorenz 3 0 0 0 0 1
Hannah Flippen 3 0 0 0 0 0
Charla Echols 3 0 1 0 0 0
Bubba Nickles 2 1 0 0 1 0
Deja Mulipola 3 0 2 0 0 0
Taylor Pleasants 3 1 0 0 0 1
Kinzie Hansen 1 1 0 0 1 1
Janae Jefferson 1 0 1 3 1 0
Ally Carda - - - - - -
Monica Abbott - - - - - -
Totals 22 3 5 3 3 3
Batting2B: Janae Jefferson
TB: Charla Echols, Haylie McCleney, Janae Jefferson 2, Deja Mulipola 2
RBI: Janae Jefferson 3
FC: Taylor Pleasants 2
GIDP: Amanda Lorenz
TotalsTeam QAB: 10 (40.00%)
Charla Echols, Taylor Pleasants, Hannah Flippen, Haylie McCleney, Kinzie Hansen, Janae Jefferson 2, Deja Mulipola, Bubba Nickles 2

Team LOB: 4
FieldingE: Charla Echols


USA Women's National Teammore stats
Pitching IP #P S% H R ER SO BB HR
Monica Abbott 4.0 102 .637 7 2 2 3 2 0
Ally Carda 3.0 52 .635 1 0 0 7 1 0
Totals 7.0 154 .636 8 2 2 10 3 0
PitchingW: Monica Abbott
HBP: Monica Abbott 2
WP: Ally Carda, Monica Abbott
Pitches-Strikes: Ally Carda 52-33, Monica Abbott 102-65
Groundouts-Flyouts: Ally Carda 1-1, Monica Abbott 5-2
First pitch strikes-Batters faced: Ally Carda 5-11, Monica Abbott 15-24
Key