GoUSFBulls.com ICYMI: Eriksen, Moore Lead Team USA to Silver Medal

[Brad]

 

Courtesy GoUSFBulls.com

Eriksen, Moore Lead Team USA to Silver Medal

July 11, 2016
By  USF

 

 

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 11, 2016) – USF head coach Ken Eriksen and assistant coach Jessica Moore helped Team USA take home a silver medal at the World Cup of Softball XI on Sunday as they fell, 2-1, in a nail-biting matchup with Japan.

Team USA finished the tournament with a 6-1 record, the only blemish coming in the finale with Japan. The team posted four shutouts, outscoring opponents, 55-4.

“You take a look at what we did, and what the USA Elite did, and you can see the future is bright for USA Softball,” Eriksen said. “I was very proud of the fact that we had young kids step up this week, we didn’t panic and sometimes the difference between a gold and silver is a fingernail.  I think when you take a look up and down our lineup, everybody can hit it well.  We’ve got rookie pitchers out here that are moving in the right direction.  I can’t wait for us to get to the Worlds and get started.”

Usually on the coaching side with Eriksen, Moore went back to being a player as one of the ace pitchers on the Team USA staff. The former Oregon standout threw 11 innings, picking up 15 strikeouts and allowing just one earned run on one hit. Against Venezuela, she helped combine for a no-hitter in a 10-0 win.

Playing for USA Elite, rising junior Astin Donovan helped lead her team to the bronze medal game, coming up just short in a 4-3 loss to Australia. Donovan went 6-for-13 in the tournament for a .462 average and was 2-for-4 in the bronze medal game. Donovan was in prime position to put the U.S. up early in the first inning after coming around the bases on two singles and a stolen base, but was thrown out at home on a deep fly ball to centerfield.

Former Bulls Monica Santos and Karla Claudio were also in action at the World Cup. Playing for Puerto Rico, Claudio finished 9-for-21 at the plate with eight RBIs and also saw time in the circle with 6.2 innings pitched. Santos appeared in four games, recording nine at-bats.

Up next for the USA Softball Women’s National Team is the WBSC Women’s World Championship, which will be held July 15-24 in Surrey, B.C., Canada. Claudio, Santos and rising junior Lauren Evans (Great Britain) will also be in action with their respective national teams.

Fans at home can follow along with live stats, streaming and more at ASAUSASoftball.com.