The U.S. Women’s National Team took on Canada on day two of the USA Softball International Cup at Devon Park. After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning, the U.S. clawed its way back and took a 10-7 win.
Montana Fouts started in the circle for the U.S. and had a tough time finding the zone in the beginning. Emma Entzminger and Kelsey Harshman reached on a hit by pitch and walk, respectively, with Erika Polidori reaching on a fielder’s choice in between to force out Entzminger. Then, Fouts lost Grace Messmer on a walk to load the bases with one out.
Next, Kianna Jones pushed an RBI single through the 5-6 hole to score Polidori and gave Canada a 1-0 lead. Fouts couldn’t seem to get it together and hit Logan Forman to bring in another run for Canada.
Nicole Rivait tacked on a two-RBI double to increase Canada’s lead to 4-0. Caitlyn Wong jumped on a 2-1 pitch for an RBI single to score another, and that was it for Fouts. Karlyn Pickens took the ball with runners on the corners and one out and got out of the inning without further damage.
Morgan Rackel got the start for Canada, and she retired the bottom of the first in order. Then, after Pickens and the defense kept things clean in the top of the second, Rackel allowed a run in the bottom half.
Skylar Wallace led off and reached via a hit by pitch, and Dejah Mulipola followed with a single. After both runners moved up on a Megan Grant groundout, Aubrey Leach scored Wallace with an RBI sacrifice fly, making it 5-1 Canada.
Pickens kept things where they were and retired the top of the third inning, with only a walk given. She worked down in the zone, which induced groundouts. In the bottom half, Janae Jefferson led off by reaching on an error to second base. She then moved over on a Jayda Coleman sacrifice bunt and came home on a Maya Brady RBI groundout to move closer, 5-2.
Canada added a run in the top of the fourth. With two outs and Polidori on second, Harshman sneaked an RBI single through the left side to make the score 6-2 Canada. Pickens then walked Messmer to put two on, then got out of the side with a strikeout of Jones.
The U.S. Women’s National Team flipped the game in the bottom half. Wallace and Mulipola began with back-to-back singles to place runners on the corners. That set up Megan Grant for an RBI single to cut the Canadian lead to three. After Leach grounded into a fielder’s choice to advance Mulipola to third, Jocelyn Erickson pinch hit for Hannah Flippen.
Leach stole second to put both runners in scoring position, and Erickson capitalized with a two-RBI single up the middle. Just like that, the Eagles had cut the deficit to one run. That was it for Rackel, and Sara Groenewegen took the ball. Jefferson fought off an infield single to the left side, and Coleman followed with a single through the right side to load the bases with one out.
The U.S. took full advantage, grabbing the lead on a Brady two-RBI single. Brady also moved to second on the throw. The Eagles led 7-6 with two runners in scoring position and still one out in the bottom of the fourth. Tiare Jennings swung for a deep sacrifice fly to bring Coleman in to make it 8-6, U.S. Women’s National Team. That wrapped up the scoring, capping a six-run inning for the Eagles.
Rachel Garcia came on to begin the fifth inning in the circle and put two on to start. Forman reached on a leadoff walk, and Rivait followed with a single. Garcia then responded with back-to-back strikeouts and went on to strand both runners.
Ahead in the top of the sixth, Garcia and the U.S. retired Canada for a second consecutive scoreless inning. Garcia led with a strikeout of Polidori before issuing a walk to Harshman. The defense flashed as Messmer grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to retire the top half.
Jefferson added insurance with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom half to make it 9-6, U.S. Then, Brady recorded a one-out single and made her way to third on wild pitches. That gave Jennings an RBI opportunity, and she scored Brady on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-6. Canada then went to Annabel Teperson, who got out of the inning.
Garcia needed just three outs to wrap up the night in the top of the seventh, but it didn’t come easy. After opening the inning with a strikeout of Jones, Garcia issued a walk before recording another strikeout. Then, with two outs, Canada worked back-to-back walks to load the bases. Garcia gave up a run by hitting Entzminger to walk in a run, making the score 10-7. Polidori grounded out to third to end the night.
Pickens picked up the win, and Garcia recorded the save. The U.S. Women’s National Team returns Saturday to face China at 4 p.m. CDT on ESPN+.
