Late-inning home run by Scrap Yard Fast Pitch hands Women’s National Team a 5-4 loss

July 25, 2019

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Late-inning home run by Scrap Yard Fast Pitch hands Women’s National Team a 5-4 loss

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 24, 2019 Web Release: Link

Lafayette, La. – A two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning handed Team USA a 5-4 loss in their second contest against Scrap Yard Fast Pitch. After trailing by three runs through the first four innings of play, Team USA used a four-run fifth inning to pull ahead but could not overcome the late-inning scoring by Scrap Yard.
 
Click here for box scores from the Lafayette Series

The U.S. struggled to find the timely hit until the fifth inning as six batters reached base through the first four innings of play, but the offense did not plate a run. Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) and Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) put runners on early with back-to-back infield singles to lead off the top of the first. A fly ball and strikeout kept the runners at bay until a walk to Sahvanna Jaquish (Highland, Calif.) loaded the bases, but a fly ball ended the at-bat.
 
Scrap Yard pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first, scoring all three runs with two outs. A walk and four-straight singles brought three runners’ home, putting Team USA down 3-0 early.
 
The U.S. looked to rally in the top of the fourth inning after Jaquish’s second walk of the evening and Kirsti Merritt (Lake Panasoffkee, Fla.) was hit by a pitch, but balls hit right to the defense and a foul tip out kept Team USA off the board.
 
That did not last long as McCleney fired up the offense in the top of the fifth with a leadoff single. Advancing to second on a sac bunt by Reed, a misplayed popup put runners on the corners. A popup looked to end the rally, but Jaquish chopped a ball to shortstop and beat out the throw for an RBI single. Then, on a full count, Merritt got a hold of the ball and blasted it out of the park for a three-run home run to give Team USA a 4-3 lead.
 
The WNT looked to add to their lead in the top of the sixth after a leadoff walk. McCleney’s third hit of the contest put two runners on and a passed ball advanced both into scoring position. A walk to Arioto with two outs loaded the bases, but a sharply hit ground ball to first ended the threat.
 
Scrap Yard capitalized on a two-out single with a home run to give them a one-run lead over the U.S. In their final at-bat in the top of the seventh, a line out, fly ball and strikeout ended the game with Scrap Yard taking the 5-4 win.
 
Offensively, McCleney had a 3-for-4 night at the plate while Arioto and Jaquish each walked twice in each of their four plate appearances. Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) suffered the loss in the circle after entering in the sixth inning, issuing one strikeout with two runs scored in one inning of work. Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) got the start in the circle, tossing three strikeouts with three runs allowed through the first three innings of play. Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) had two scoreless outings in the fourth and fifth innings.

Team USA and Scrap Yard Fast Pitch are set for their final Lafayette contest at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, July 25 at Lamson Park.
 
Live stats and live streaming are available for each of Team USA’s contests against Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, and links can be found at USASoftball.com.
 
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.  USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.  USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.  The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game. 

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com