The U.S. will battle Russia (1-3) on Tuesday.
Tennessee’s Tiffany Huff was 1-for-3 and also reached via error in the fifth inning to maintain her .333 (4-of-12) average at the Junior World Championships.
Team USA banged out 12 hits to back a three-hit combined shutout from starter Megan Elliott (W, 1-0, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 Ks) and reliever Donna Kerr (2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 Ks). Left fielder Brittany Lastrapes posted a 3-of-3 performance with a run scored and a RBI, while shortstop Monica Harrison delivered a 2-for-3, two-RBI effort to go along with a pair of triples.
Lastrapes got the Red, White & Blue off to a quick start in the bottom of the first by singling and swiping second to reach scoring position. Catcher Ashley Hansen followed with a RBI double and later scored on a three-bagger by Harrison as the U.S. completed the first frame in possession of a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Harrison’s second triple of the contest, this one coming in the bottom of the third, brought home third baseman Maggie Viefhaus, who had reached via walk. A wild pitch allowed Harrison to race home for a five-run lead.
Right fielder Neena Bryant recorded the third triple of the contest for the American squad in the bottom of the fourth frame. The Placentia, Calif., native later scored on an RBI single down the line off the bat of Lastrapes as Argentina fell behind by six runs.
Huff helped the U.S. reach the run-rule by starting a scoring threat after reaching on an error to open the fifth. Pinch runner Alissa Haber was brought into the contest to run for Huff and advanced to third on a base hit off the bat of GiOnna DiSalvatore. A sacrifice fly by Bryant brought Haber in with the Red, White & Blue’s seventh run to provide the walk-off victory.
Event organizers are doing a live webcast of some of the games through the official event website:
www.wksoftbaljunioren2007.nl/home-en
For more information including live statistics, please visit the Junior Women’s World Championship page through USA Softball at www.usasoftball.org.
Updates on Huff and the U.S. squad will be posted at www.utladyvols.com as they become available.
U.S. Schedule at the VIII ISF Junior Women’s World Championship: Tuesday, June 26 U.S. vs. Russia, 11:30 a.m. ET; and Wednesday, June 27, U.S. vs. Italy, 1 p.m. ET
The playoffs are Thursday, June 28, through Saturday, June 30.
Enschede, Netherlands is six hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone.