Alabama Softball Alums Lead Team USA to World Championship Title
7/25/2016 11:00:00 AM | Softball
Team USA defeats Japan to win the WBSC Women’s World Championship
SURREY, B.C., Canada – Team USA members and former Alabama softball All-Americans Haylie McCleney and Jaclyn Traina led Team USA to an undefeated week at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Championship, culminating in a 7-3 win over Japan to claim the championship title.
The title is the first for the United States since 2010 and knocks off two-time defending champion Japan, who defeated the U.S. earlier this summer in the championship game at the World Cup of Softball XI.
Team USA cruised through its first seven games, outscoring its opponents 72-4 before a close 4-3 win over Japan on Saturday set up a rematch in the championship game on Sunday. A four-run first inning and an insurance home run by McCleney in the fourth inning ultimately gave the U.S. enough cushion for a 7-3 win in Sunday's title game.
McCleney started in eight of the nine games, hitting .400 with 10 hits, seven runs scored and six RBIs. Four of her 10 hits went for extra bases, including three triples and a three-run home run in the fourth inning of Sunday's championship game that scored Team USA's final three runs of the day. Traina pitched 7.2 innings over five games, including a win in her lone start on July 21 vs. the Philippines. She struck out 10 batters, allowing just one earned run (0.97 ERA).
Traina, currently in her fourth season with Team USA, was a four-time All-American pitcher from 2011-14 and helped guide the Crimson Tide to its first national title as a sophomore in 2012. McCleney is in her third season with the U.S. National team after completing her senior season in 2016. She earned her fourth All-America nod as a senior and capped her career as the program leader in batting average (.447), on base percentage (.569), walks (199) and triples (16).
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