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The U.S. moves on to the semifinals as Jessica Moore shuts out Venezuela 7-0

July 23, 2016

Surrey, BC - The U.S. moves on to the semifinals as Jessica Moore shuts out Venezuela 7-0


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 22, 2016

 

The U.S. moves on to the semifinals as Jessica Moore shuts out Venezuela 7-0 at WBSC Women’s World Championship

 

Click here for a box score

 

Surrey, B.C., Canada  — Eight hits, two home runs and a complete game shutout by Jessica Moore (Sutter, Calif.) helped land the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) in the semifinals as the Eagles downed Venezuela 7-0 (five innings) at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s World Championship.  Moore was simply lights out in the circle, stifling a hot-hitting Venezuela offense while the Red, White and Blue continued their strong offensive showing. 

 

“We’ve always said that if we can keep the other team at zero for as long as possible, we’ll have an opportunity to score,” said Head Coach Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.).  “Valerie Arioto, clutch hitter, again comes up and gets us the lead with a home run and Jessica Moore bearing down and bringing zeros back to the dugout.  Venezuela swings the bat, and they didn’t go down lightly.  Still a long way to go.  We just need to keep playing USA Softball.”

 

The game was scoreless through the first inning of play as Venezuela’s defense kept the U.S. off the board despite a leadoff triple from Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.).  Moore returned the favor in the bottom of the frame, picking up her first strikeout of the game and two groundouts.

 

Team USA veteran Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) got the U.S. offense rolling in the top of the second with a solo blast over centerfield to score the first run of the game for the Red, White and Blue.  Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) would add to that lead with a sac fly, bringing Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) home to make it a 2-0 game.

 

That score would stick until the top of the fourth when the Eagles would add an additional three runs to their lead.  A leadoff walk to Arioto, a single from Chidester and a walk to Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) loaded the bases for Team USA.  A sac fly from Kasey Cooper (Dothan, Ala.) brought Arioto home and a triple from Jazmyn Jackson (San Jose, Calif.) brought home another two runs. 

 

Venezuela threatened to score in the bottom of the fourth after Yuruby Alicart got a hold of the ball for a single, but Jackson made a heads up play in left field to throw Alicart out at second base.  A single would put a runner on, but Moore fired back with a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat.

 

The final two runs of the game for the U.S. would come in the top of the fifth after Arioto picked up her second hit of the game with two outs.  Chidester then got a hold of the ball for a two-run blast, putting Team USA just three outs away from a run-rule victory.  With Venezuela down to their final at-bat, Moore retired the side in order with groundouts and a strikeout to give the U.S. the shutout win. 

 

“Sticking to our game plan and coming out and attacking the batters,” said Moore on what contributed to her success in the circle.  “Venezuela is a great team, and they can swing the bat.  Our defense made phenomenal plays today, so I really just relied on them.  The first day of the medal rounds are always difficult, regardless of who you are or who you play.  All of us are trying to get better and better each day we come out.”

 

In another outstanding performance in the circle, Moore got the “W”, issuing seven strikeouts and allowing just one walk and two hits in five innings of work.  Offensively, Chidester and Jackson finished the game with two RBI each.  Also contributing with one RBI apiece were Arioto, Cooper and Spaulding.

 

Team USA now heads to the semifinals, where they will face off against Japan at 5 p.m. PT.  Live stats and links for pay-per-view streaming can be found 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 nine 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).

 

For further information, please go to www.WBSC.org or follow the WBSC on Twitter at @WBSC.

 

 

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Codi Warren I Managing Director of Communications

Amateur Softball Association/USA Softball

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111
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Visit Us Online: ASAUSASoftball.com

 

Follow along with USA Softball as they compete at the WBSC World Championships!

 

WBSC Women’s World Championship (July 15-24) –  http://go.teamusa.org/29JXAld  

WBSC Junior Men’s World Championship (July 24-30) –2016JMWC.com

 

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