The U.S. Women’s National Team is a win away from finishing the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group C stage perfect and cementing their place in the World Cup Finals in 2027.
Tuesday, the U.S. defeated China 7-0 in six innings and improved to 5-0 in the event. Lexi Kilfoyl and Kelly Maxwell combined on a shutout, with Kilfoyl striking out five over four innings and Maxwell adding three across the final two. Neither pitcher walked a batter. China managed just two hits and struck out eight times. That gave the U.S. their fifth shutout, and they have now outscored their opponents 52-0.
The U.S. scored twice in the first inning and never looked back. Skylar Wallace, who finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, drove in both runs with a two-RBI double. Then, in the second, Dejah Mulipola hit a solo home run to make it 3-0.
The U.S. extended the lead in the fourth with back-to-back homers by Megan Grant and Aubrey Leach. Then they finished it off in the sixth, on a pinch-hit homer by Rachel Garcia and a bases-loaded walkoff single by Wallace. Four U.S. players homered: Mulipola, Grant, Leach and Garcia. The U.S. also drew six walks, with leadoff hitter Jayda Coleman reaching base three times and scoring twice.
The U.S. Women’s National Team will now face China again in the playoff game Wednesday at 1 p.m. CDT.
