WORLD GAMES GOLD MEDAL
USA 1, CHINESE TAIPEI 0
The USA advanced to the championship of the first World University games by defeating Chinese Taipei -- a perfect game for USA pitcher Alicia Hollowell. Taipei had defeated the USA in round robin, 3-2. Today, Holloway returned to the mound, while Chueh Ming-Hui, who won that first encounter, pitched for Taipei.
Taipei went down in order in the top of the 1st. With two out (Caitlin Benyi and Caitlin Lowe), Andrea Duran singled to left center but was stranded.
Taipei went out 1-2-3 in the 2nd, as did Heather Scaglione, Vicki Galindo, and Kristie Fox.
Pan Tzu-Hui walked to open the 3rd, and moved to 3rd on two sacrifices, but Hollowell struck out Chen Miao-Yi to end the threat. Jodie Legaspi went out but Norrelle Dickson laid down a three-foot bunt for the second USA hit, and stole 2nd on the next pitch. Benyi walked on four pitches. Lowe slapped a roller to 2nd, and using her inimitable speed, took 1st before the Taipei fielder could make a play, loading the bases. Duran hit into a 5-2 fielder's choice, forcing Dickson at home. Dean hit a line drive to center field which Chen Miao-Yi caught on a dive.
Hollowell set down Taipei in then 4th, getting cleanup hitter Hu Chia-Hsin to look at a third strike. Lefty Lin Su-Hua took the mound. Scaglione flied out to 2nd. Galindo grounded out to 3rd; the fielder bobbled the hard hit but made the throw. Fox also grounded to 3rd but this time Li Chui-Ching sailed the ball over 1st and Fox went to 3rd. Legaspi also grounded to 3rd, and Li made the throw for the 3rd out.
Huang Hui-Wen hit a deep fly to left, foul, which Legaspi chased and caught. Hollowell struck out the next two batters. Benyi hit a hard one-out single to right. Lowe, who can slap and hit, On the second pitch, a pitchout, Benyi eluded the tag at 2nd. Lowe grounded to the pitcher. Duran was hit by a pitch, putting USA runners at the corners with two out. Dean hit a line drive to 2nd. After five innings, the USA had 4 hits but no runs. Taipei was hitless.
Wen Li-Hsiu broke that drought, opening the 6th with a hit. Lee Meng-Yao hit a fielder's choice, Duran to Fox at 2nd to force the pinch runner Shu Shih-Mei. Chenn tried another sacrifice, and Benyi threw to Fox for the force at 2nd. Lee Chia-Chen ground ourt to Hollowell. Scaglione, who's been impressive defensively picking a runner at 2nd and nailing two steal attempts in earlier games, ground out to 1st. Galindo got a base hit to short and stole 2nd and 3rd (aided by a bloody awful swing by Fox which delayed the throw to 3rd)Fox then slammed a single to left to drive in the run. Legaspi followed with a single, the third in a row. Taipei brought in Lai Sheng-Jung to pitch. Dickson stepped to the plate, two on, one out. Dickson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Benyi popped to 3rd. Lowe ground out to the pitcher. USA 1-0.
Li Chui-Ching lofted a fly ball to Lowe in center. Hu Chia-Hsin became the 7th K for Hollowell. Huang Hui-Wen grounded nout to Fox -- and the USA had won the nGold medal.
The USA had 7 hits, Taipei one.
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