Team USA’s Jackie Traina (11) pitches during the championship game of the World Cup of Softball between the United States and Australia at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Monday, July 2, 2012. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Nate Billings)
Samantha Fischer doubled in two runs, Michelle Moultrie circled the bases after dropping a bunt just in front of home plate and the U.S. beat Australia 3-0 Monday night to win the World Cup of Softball championship.
Jackie Traina, Jordan Taylor, Keilani Ricketts combined on a one-hit shutout and the Americans capitalized on two Australian miscues to score all their runs.
“We talk about playing flawless softball and the team that breaks first is the team that’s not going to have the best opportunity to win,” Eriksen said.
“At this level, you’ve got to be flawless. You’ve got to avoid the walks, you’ve got to avoid the errors and you’ve got to get two-out hits with runners in scoring position. We did that tonight.”
The title was the first building block of the summer as the U.S. chases its eighth straight world championship — the best the sport has to offer after getting dropped from the Olympics starting with this year’s London Games.
That’s the bigger quest for softball now. The sport’s leaders are trying to get the IOC to vote in 2013 to include softball in the 2020 Games.