USA softball secured the gold medal at the world games as they took down the Japanese national team in a 3-2 nailbiter. The red, white, and blue went undefeated and picked up three mercy rule wins. The USA also only gave up four earned runs through their five-game slate.
The first inning was quiet for both squads. The University of Alabama all-American Haylie McCleney recorded the first hit of the game in the first at-bat for the United States. The second inning kicked off with a groundout and a single for Japan. The Japanese were able to load the bases, but the USA defense was able to keep them from scoring on a ground out to shortstop. The bottom of the second inning was a big inning for the red, white, and blue as they started the inning with two singles and a walk. After two outs the hero of the game Janae Jefferson, the all-American out of the University of Texas, came to the plate. Jefferson drove the ball to the fence on a basesclearing double through the left-center field gap to put the USA up 3-0.
The top of the third inning comes around and Japan counters back plating a run. Minori Naito drove in the lone run of the inning on a single to center field. The USA went three up and three down to end the inning. Neither team was able to bring a run across as the inning ended with the score still 3-1.
The Japanese were still looking to take their first lead of the game. Naito struck again leading off the fifth inning with a double. After a pitching change for the USA Naito was able to come around and score to make the game 3-2. Japan wanted to keep the USA from scoring as they made a pitching change. Come to the sixth inning the new pitcher for the United States, UCLA alumni Ally Carda, walked the first batter of the inning then struck out the final three. The USA went three up and three down in the home half of the sixth to bring Japan to the plate for their final attempt to take the win. Two strikeouts and a flyout to the pitcher ended the game at 3-2 with the United States on top.
Jefferson supplied the run support for the red, white, and blue pitchers with her double. She went 1-1 with a walk and three RBI on the night. The University of Arizona Alumni Deja Mulipola went 2-3 on the night coming across to score on the double.
The University of Tennessee all-American alumni Monica Abbott got the start in the circle for the USA. Abbott allowed two earned runs on seven hits in her four innings of work. She also struck out three as she secured the gold medal win. Carda got the relief effort and the save in the circle for the USA. She through lights out allowing zero runs on zero hits in her two innings of work. Carda struck out seven of the 11 batters she faced to help hoist the red, white, and blue over the Japanese.
The USA won the world games back-to-back as they defended their 2018 championship. The USA fell short in the 2020 Olympics taking a tough loss to the Japanese, but the USA got their redemption win in Birmingham.