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OKLAHOMA CITY – Top-notch athletes from across the country came together as the fifth annual USA Softball 12-Under All-American Games began today. Twenty-four teams composed of 360 players duked it out at the Softball Capital of the World® in effort to claim the prestigious USA Softball All-American Games trophy.
After inclement weather postponed Friday’s
In their first game of the day, Region 3 Stars pulled out a 3-0 win against Region 1 Stripes with Mackenzie Ventura striking out eight batters in the shutout victory. Katelyn Russell was another shining star for the Stars with a double and three RBIs to give her team the runs they needed to secure the win. In Game Two, Region 3 Stars struck early yet again with another double from Russell and a sacrifice fly from Reese Law to give them an early lead before tacking on another run in the second to put them ahead 3-0. Region 9 Stripes attempted a comeback in the third inning after taking advantage of a defensive miscue by the Stars, but they would come up short as the Stars defeated the Stripes in a close-fought, 3-2 game.
Region 5 Freedom dominated the playing field today, allowing zero runs and scoring a total of 13 in their two pool play games. Heads-up baserunning allowed Region 5 Freedom to score early in Game One against Region 3 Freedom, putting them up 3-0 after one inning of play. Madelyn Doty and Braylee Spence worked together in the circle to strikeout seven Region 3 Freedom batters and limit them to only two hits in the contest. In their second game against Region 2 Stars, the bats exploded for the Freedom as they strung hits together and scored 10 runs in three innings to come out with another win.
Scoring runs early and often was a common theme today as Region 5 Stars took down Region 4 Freedom 4-0 in their first win of the day. The Stars were able to manifest their four runs on only three hits, but with six stolen bases, getting into scoring position wasn’t a problem. Defense was also solid for Region 5 Stars with a double play and six combined strikeouts from Emma Escamilla and Tori Turner. The bats came alive for the Stars in Game Two against Region 2 Stripes. Six hits from six different players, including an RBI triple from Isabella Dzialo, kept the good vibes going for the Stars as they scored in each of the first three innings to walk away with the 5-2 victory.
Region 10 Freedom also showed up with hot bats today, scoring 10 runs in their two wins. Their first win against Region 1 Freedom was sparked by a double from Josephine Marsh in the third that led to a seven-run inning and a 7-1 victory. In their second pool play game, the Freedom racked up seven hits in their 3-0 shutout win against Region 9 Stars. Marsh and Angelina Quirarte combined for seven total strikeouts in the circle while only allowing one hit.
Scoring an impressive 14 runs in their two pool play games, Region 10 Stripes defeated Region 8 Stars 7-3 in Game One. Jordin Washington had three of her team’s seven stolen bases in the contest to help lead her team to victory. Region 10 Stripes scored another seven runs in their second game, taking down Region 5 Stripes in a 7-0 shutout win. Once again, Region 10 Stripes used their speed to their advantage, stealing six more bases in the victory.
In their first pool play game against Region 4 Stripes, Lilly Hauser threw the complete game shutout while fanning seven Stripes batters, giving Region 10 Stars the 5-0 win. The pitching was just as impressive in Game Two as Malaya Majam-Finch got the start and went the distance, shutting out Region 7 Stars 9-0 and striking out another seven batters. A two-out, seven-run fourth inning sealed the victory for Region 10 Stars as they walked away undefeated without a single run scored against them on Day One.
In addition to their pool play games, each team had the opportunity to compete against fellow regions on the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field that did not count for seeding. Single-elimination bracket play will kick off tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT with the Championship set for 6:30 p.m. CT on the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field.
Admission, which will be sold at the gate of the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, is $8 per-day for spectators, with free admission for children eight-and-under. Additional information including the tournament schedule can be found at USASoftball.com.
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations. USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
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