Team USA Tested in 7-0 Victory over Cuba; Faces Canada in Opening Game of Medal Rounds

MARACAY, Venezuela - The softball teams of U.S. and Cuba both entered the final pool play game with an undefeated record but only one remained undefeated as USA beat Cuba, 7-0 in six innings, at the Pan American Game qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela. Medal rounds begin tomorrow with the U.S. as the No. 1 seed in Pool A taking on Canada, who is the No.2 seed from pool B, tomorrow at 2:30 p.m./CT.
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) took to the circle and it looked like Cuba would get a hit in the second but a stellar defensive dive by Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) stopped the Cuban runner from reaching first. 

“I think it was good for the team today to face some tough competition. We were challenged in all aspects of the game. Our defense made some great plays, our hitters adjusted to the pitching and overall we did great,” said Abbott who earned her third win of the tournament with 11 strikeouts and two hits allowed. “We are looking forward to facing Canada tomorrow and then continuing through the medal rounds to the Championship game.” 

Cuba kept the bats at bay until the second inning when the United States put four runs on the board including an inside the park homerun by Lowe. Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif.) led off the inning with a single, advancing to second on a sac bunt by Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.). Langenfeld took advantage of a wild pitch to reach third and scored on a single by K’Lee Arredondo (Tempe, Az.). With Arredondo and Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.), who was hit by a pitch, on base Lowe hit a ball that rode the left field line. The left fielder Yanitsa Aviles was too slow to get to the ball which went past her and to the wall. Lowe used her speed for an inside the park homerun, three RBI and helped edge the U.S. lead to 4-0.

Cuba hit the fourth of nine hits of Pan Am Qualifier games, with a single to left field on two outs in the third inning. Abbott secured the scoreless inning with a strikeout swinging. In the top of the fourth Maribelis Iglesias singled with a shot over shortstop Tammy Williams (Osceola, Mo.) for a hit. Abbott again returned with a strikeout to retire the next three batters. 

In the fifth Cuba put two runners on with Katia Cuello reaching on a walk and Mailin Sanchez reaching on an error. Abbott came through for the third time retiring the final out, the leadoff batter, with a strikeout. Williams scored a run in the fifth off a sac fly by Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif.). Williams singled to lead off the inning. 

Arredondo hit a double in the sixth inning bringing up Melissa Roth (Long Beach, Calif.) who entered in to pinch hit. It proved to be the right decision as Roth took her first pitch for a double to centerfield to score Arredondo and put the U.S. within one run of a run-rule victory. At that moment the clouds opened and the rain started to pour. With two outs and Lowe at bat, Cuba chose to enter in a new pitcher in Yanelis Rodriguez. Lowe walked bringing up Williams to the plate. Williams had no time to turn in a hit as Roth crossed home plate on a wild pitch for the seventh run of the game. 

The pitching staff has combined to allow only four hits so far in 9 nine games compared to the U.S.’s 118 hits. They have allowed no runs with the U.S. scoring 118. Langenfeld leads the team with 19 RBI, 16 hits and four homeruns. 

The winner of the USA/Canada game will go on to play the winner of the Cuba/Venezuela game. Be sure to check out www.usasoftball.com for complete coverage of the event including live stats for the remaining games.