The USA national softball team went 2-0 on the first day of play as they took on the Italian National Team and the Chinese Taipei.
The first game for the red, white, and blue was against team Italy where they picked up a 6-0 win. There were several players in the lineup who had a multi-hit game. The catcher from the University of Oklahoma, Kinzie Hansen led the charge going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hansen is fresh off of the World Series-winning team. The University of Florida Alumni Amanda Lorenz and University of Arizona Alumni Deja Mulipola both had a pair of hits on the day for the secondmost hits through the order. Janae Jefferson, who is coming off of an All-American season at The University of Texas had a triple which drove in her lone RBI of the game. The lone state of Georgia native Charla Echols, who is also fresh off of an all-American season at Florida, had a double for her lone hit of the contest.
The pitching duties were split by the UCLA Alumni Ally Carda and the University of Alabama pitcher Montana Fouts. Carda got the start going four complete innings only allowing two hits and fanning six batters. Fouts got the relief effort going three complete innings only allowing one hit and fanning eight batters. Fouts faced 11 batters through her three innings of work. She is also coming off of an All-American Season where she averaged 7.05 strikeouts per game.
The hot bats of the USA continued into game two of day one as they picked up the 7-0 run-rule victory over the Chinese Taipei. Three different players through the lineup had two hits to help put the red, white, and blue on top. Haylie McCleney, The University of Alabama Alumni, hit in the lead-off spot securing two hits and an RBI. Lorenz had another multi-hit game including a double and an RBI as she went 2-for-4. Mulipola went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. The former University of Utah standout Hannah Flippen went deep with the only home run of the contest which came in the third inning.
The legendary University of Tennessee Alumni Monica Abbott went the full six innings for the USA. She faced 20 batters and struck out 14 while only allowing three hits. This is the first complete game thrown by a USA pitcher in the World Games. Abbott has several Olympic and World Game Medals under her belt as she has played for Team USA in 2005 while still playing for Tennessee.
The USA will continue their quest for the gold medal throughout the week at Hoover Met Stadium in Birmingham.