USA shut out Italy, head to Super Round
World No. 1 USA defeated No. 6 Italy 7-0 in five innings on Tuesday, advancing to the Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 Super Round in Castions di Strada in Italy.
Megan Faraimo proved virtually untouchable for the Azzurre. She allowed only two hits and struck out nine. Jessie Warren led the USA offence with a home run a double and four RBIs.
Leadoff hitter Isabella Dayton turned the fifth pitch from US starter Megan Faraimo into a pop to shallow left field. She took full advantage of a bad hop and slid into third for a triple. Faraimo struck out Erika Piancastelli and McKenzie Barbara, then hit Andrea Filler but got out of the inning by striking out Marta Gasparotto.
USA did not need a hit against Italian starter Christina Toniolo to score the first run. Haylie McCleney walked to lead off the bottom half of the first. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and reached third on a wild pitch. She scored on a groundout.
Toniolo worked two quick outs in the bottom of the second. Jessie Warren crushed her first offering beyond the centre field wall for a solo home run that extended the USA lead to 2-0.
Hannah Flippen led off the bottom of the third with a stand-up double in the gap to left-centre. She reached third on a groundout to the right side and scored on a groundout to shortstop.
Toniolo walked Sahvanna Jaquish, allowed a base hit to Jenae Jefferson and then left for Alexia Lacatena. The reliever got out of the inning on a flyout to centre.
Melanie Sheldon hit a one-out single in the top of the fifth, Italy's first hit since Dayton's leadoff triple. Faraimo struck out pinch hitter Elisa Cecchetti and Giulia Koutsoyanopulos to end the at-bat.
USA loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth for Warren, who attacked the first pitch she saw and drove it into the gap to right centre for a three-RBI double. Warren advanced to third on an error and scored on a ground out to end the game on the run difference rule.
Italy will play an elimination game with Canada to close the Opening Round. The winner will join Japan, the Netherlands and USA in the Super Round. Team USA will play at 14:30 (local time) with China.