OKLAHOMA CITY - Jessica Mendoza and Stacy Nuveman homered and Vicky Galindo drove in three runs as the United States beat China 11-3 Saturday at the World Cup of Softball.
Mendoza's was a three run shot and Nuveman's a two-run homer as the U.S. broke out of an offensive slump with 11 hits in a game called after 4 1/2 innings by the mercy rule.
 China's Li Chunxia slides safely into third base as USA's Vicky Galindo takes the throw, in the fourth inning at the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City, Saturday, July 16, 2005. USA won the game, 11-3. [AP] |
"We were kind of struggling there for a little while, just not the usual USA offense," Mendoza said. "It was nice to see some of that getting back today."
The Americans took control by scoring five runs with two outs in the second inning.
Galindo's tripled to make it 2-0. Natasha Watley followed with an infield single to score Galindo, and Caitlin Lowe also reached on an infield chopper. Then Mendoza's homer gave the U.S. a 6-0 lead.
"I've been anxious to show our offense. We haven't really done that, so I was a little fired up," Mendoza said. "After that, I was pretty excited."
Galindo added a two-run double to make it 8-0. After the Chinese scored three runs in the top of the fourth, Nuveman's pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the inning put the U.S. in place for the mercy rule win.
Jenny Topping had a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the first inning and threw out both Chinese baserunners who tried to steal.
In another game, Australia beat Canada 5-0, and the U.S. was scheduled to play Japan later in the day.
Australia 5, Canada 0
Melanie Roche and Joceyln McCallum combined on a five-hit shutout for Australia.
Roche struck out seven and walked one in five innings and McCallum gave up only Erin Cumpstone's single in two scoreless innings of relief.
Stacey Porter had two hits, including an RBI single in the first inning, and Kerry Wyborn and Kate Quigley each drove in one run and scored once in a three-run sixth inning.
Canada (1-2) lost its second straight game after defeating the United States on Thursday.
Australia (1-1), which lost its opening game to the United States, was to play China later in the day.
