THUNDER BAY, Ontario - Ashton Lansdell went 2-for-5 with a triple and a home run to help lead Team USA to a 14-0 run-rule victory over Korea in its second game of Group A play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Baseball World Cup on Wednesday at Baseball Central.
With the win, Team USA maintains its undefeated record at the World Cup heading into the third day of play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Lansdell got things started with a leadoff triple and was sent in to score one batter later when Alex Hugo ripped a double off of the center field wall. Jillian Albayati followed up with a single that pushed Hugo home and made it 2-0 in favor of Team USA early.
- The U.S. then loaded the bases before Valerie Perez stepped to the plate and recorded a single of her own that scored two runs and made it 4-0. Another USA run went on the board courtesy of a Denae Benites double that made it 5-0 heading into the bottom of the opening frame.
- USA starter Jamie Baum forced a ground out and picked up her first two strikeouts of the afternoon in the bottom of the first to send the game into the second inning with the USA still leading by five.
- More offense came Team USA’s way in the second, as Hugo collected her second double in as many innings before being sent across the plate by an Alana Martinez sac fly that made it 6-0.
- Baum continued to hold Korea scoreless in the bottom of the second as she collected her third punch out of the game as part of a quick three up, three down half inning.
- Lansdell’s offensive showcase remained on full display in the top of the third inning as she produced the first home run of the tournament for any team with a no-doubt rocket over the left field wall that established a 7-0 USA lead.
- In the bottom of the third, Baum struck out two and forced a ground out to keep Korea off the board in what would be her last inning of work.
- The U.S. offense kept rolling in the fourth as an Anna Kimbrell two-run double, a balk, and a wild pitch plated four runs and made it 11-0 in favor of the stars and stripes.
- Sarah Edwards hit an RBI-double in her first at-bat of the tournament to make it 12-0 before a Perez single and the second double of the day for Benites each scored a run to set the USA lead at 14-0.
- Olivia Pichardo took the mound for the U.S. in the bottom of the fifth, picking up one strikeout and forcing a double play to end the game and claim the 14-0 run-rule victory for Team USA.
NOTABLE STATS
- Benites, Hugo, Lansdell, Perez, and Remi Schaber all turned in multi-hit performances for the U.S.
- Baum, Niki Eckert, and Pichardo combined for a five-inning shutout on the mound.
- Perez added two runs scored and three RBIs for the USA offense.
- Lansdell is the only player to record a home run at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and is one of just two players to hit a triple so far.
ON DECK
The USA Baseball Women’s National Team returns to action tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET for its third game of Group A play at the 2023 WBSC Women’s World Cup against Canada. All World Cup games will be streamed live on GameTime, and live updates will be provided via Twitter @USABaseballWNT.
