USA's Sementelli earns second bronze medal win; Marston with 16 hits, .571 average, in 2010 World Cup play

Team USA won its fourth medal in four World Cups Sunday after a 15-5 victory over Venezuela. Sherman Oaks, CA, resident Marti Sementelli pitched all six innings in the mercy-rule-shortened game, giving up the five runs (four earned) on seven hits and striking out two in 79 pitches. This bronze medal victory is the 17-year-old's second in as many World Cups.

Rightfielder Jenna Marston of St. Louis went two for two, both doubles, scored twice, and had two RBIs. She lead the team in the tournament with 16 hits and a .571 batting average. Second base player Malaika Underwood of San Diego turned in a solid performance, going three for four, with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Other offense was provided by centerfielder Tara Harbert of Denver, two for three with a run scored and an RBI; shortstop Clarisa Navarro of La Joya, Texas, two for four with a walk, three runs scored, and an RBI; first base player Jenny Dalton-Hill of Lexington, KY, two for two with one run scored and three RBI; first base player Anna Kimbrell of Fort Mill, SC, two for three, with a double, one run scored, and two RBI. Hits also came from Karen Costes of Glastonbury, Conn., Tamara Holmes of Oakland, Nicki Holt of Camarillo, CA,  Laura Espinoza-Watson of Wilmington, CA, Veronica Alvarez of Miami, FL,  and Sarah Gascon of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

Venezuelan pitcher Raiza Tarazaona took the loss, allowing three hits and four runs (two earned) in a third of an inning. Reliever Diana Tovar pitched the remainder of the first, allowing three hits and two earned runs. Other pitchers included Diogcelis Guevara, one walk and one hit allowed in one inning; Nidia Pineda, four hits and three runs allowed in one inning, and Lelis Gomez, nine hits, six runs (five earned) and one walk allowed in two and a third innings before the game was called. Venezuela's offense was provided by Leonel Reyes, who went two for three, with a double and two runs scored; Kelly Mendoza, two for three, one run scored and one RBI; Johana Perez, two for three with two RBI, and Maria Lopez, one for three. Two RBIs were also plated by Nidia Pineda and Allinson Velasquez.

The game was played in two hours and two minutes, in front of a crowd of 6,000. 

For more information, go to

http://web.usabaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100822&content_id=13781426&vkey=recap_usab

Japan wins second gold in World Cup history; Australia settles for silver

In another mercy-rule-shortened game, Japan defeated Australia, 13-3, in five innings to win the team's second gold in the Women's World Cup of Baseball.

Yukari Isozaki improved her World Cup record to 2-1, throwing 72 pitches in four innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and a walk and striking out three. Reliever Ayami Sato pitched one inning, giving up two hits, two unearned runs, and two walks, with two strikeouts, to finish the game.

The Japanese struck first, with nine runs in the bottom of the first inning on four hits, two errors, four walks and one hit-batsperson. Then, they had one run each in the second and third and two in the bottom of the fifth before play was ended. World Cup MVP Ayako Rokkaku, who played third base, went two for four with one RBI in this game. Other contributors included second base player Natsumi Nakano, three walks; leftfielder Akiko Shimure, two for four, two runs scored, two RBI; catcher Tomomi Nishi, one for three, two runs scored, two walks; designated hitter Tomomi Takashima, two for four, two runs scored, one RBI; first base player Yukiko Kon, one for two, one run scored, three RBI, two walks; rightfielder Mari Yamazaki, one for one, one run scored, two RBI, one walk; pinchhitter Junko Arai, one walk, and rightfielder Risa Nakashima, one RBI.

Australia's Laura Neads took the loss, going only two-thirds of an inning, allowing two hits, eight runs (two earned) and four walks and striking out two. Reliever Welsh Katherine went an inning and two-thirds, allowing six hits, three runs (one earned) and a walk. Welch Taylah pitched one inning and a third, with only two walks. Kim McMillan lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk. Christina Kreppold finished the game, with one hit allowed and a strikeout. The Australian women scored one run in the third on three hits and two in the fifth on two hits and an error, with a total of seven left on base.

The game lasted two hours and 35 minutes, and 6,350 people were in attendance.

***

I hope to have the final standings of this World Cup, and the All-Cup Team, if they choose one, tomorrow.