| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 6, 2021 Web Release: Link |
| SAN DIEGO, Calif. –– The “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), returned to action today in San Diego, Calif. as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) posted a 5-0 shutout victory over the University of San Diego. The San Diego pitching staff held the Red, White and Blue to only five hits with Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) leading the U.S. offense with a 3-for-4 day at the plate followed by Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) who tallied two hits with a solo homerun. The U.S. pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts in the shutout win with Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) getting the start before Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) took over pitching duties in the bottom of the fifth. The game was scoreless through the first inning as both squads went down in order before Team USA took the lead in the top of the second with a solo blast off the bat of Chidester to give the U.S. a one-run edge. San Diego got a pair of runners on with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but a strike out from Osterman would keep the Toreros off the board. The U.S. put a runner on in their next at-bat with a single from McCleney but failed to bring anything across the plate while Osterman kept the Toreros off the board through the bottom of the third. Team USA added to their lead in the top of the fourth after Chidester got things started with a leadoff double. A walk by Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) put runners on first and second for Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Tenn.) who forced a fielding error to score Chidester and advance Spaulding to second. Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) tacked on another run for Team USA with a sac-fly to centerfield followed by another sac-fly from Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) to extend the U.S. lead, 4-0. McCleney kept the rally alive for the eagles with two outs, sending a single up the middle to plate Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) who reached base on an error earlier in the inning, but a fly ball to right field would send Team USA back to defense. Osterman continued dealing in the bottom of the fourth, recording her 10th strikeout of the game before Carda entered the circle in the bottom of the fifth to seal the 5-0 shutout win for Team USA as neither side mustered any runs in the remainder of the game. Team USA will return to the field for a 1 p.m. PT matchup against Loyola Marymount University on Monday, May 10 where the Red, White and Blue squad will share the field with WNT assistant coach, Tairia Flowers, who is currently guiding the Lions in their 2021 collegiate season. Held at Smith Field (1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90045), tickets for the game will be limited to a pass list due to COVID-19 restrictions, however live stats will be available on USASoftball.com. |