Nine University of Florida softball players participated at the USA Softball International Cup in Oklahoma City, which included thirteen teams, representing eleven countries.
The tournament began Monday, July 9 and concluded Sunday with the bronze medal and championship games. With five UF products on its side, the USA Red team faced off with Japan for the gold medal, winning 10-5, while the USA Blue defeated China 7-6 to place third.
The Red’s roster featured players exclusively from the United States’ 2017 World Championship team, while the Blue’s utilized talent from the Japan All-Star Series that took place in June.
Former Gators Michelle Moultrie, Kelsey Stewart, Aubree Munro, Kirsti Merritt started for the USA Red in the finale, while rising senior pitcher Kelly Barnhill watched from the dugout. Former UF pitcher Delanie Gourley and rising senior outfielder Amanda Lorenz left with bronze medals as representatives for the USA Blue.
Moultrie went 2 for 3 against Japan, belting a solo home run and an RBI-single. The right fielder and Jacksonville native got a hit in all six of the Red’s games, leading the team with 11 hits. She also picked up four RBIs and scored six runs while posting a tournament slugging percentage of 1.063.
Munro was the mainstay behind the plate for the USA Red, playing in all six of the team’s games and starting four. The 24-year-old from Brea, California, batted 4 for 11 for the tournament and made two tags at the plate in the Red’s final two games. She kept a runner from scoring in the in the bottom of the sixth of Saturday’s 11-2 victory over Chinese Taipei, and she denied Japan’s Natsuko Sugama from scoring in the top of the fifth of Sunday’s championship.
Stewart started at third base for the USA Red while Merritt took left field. Both went hitless in the finale. Stewart went 1 for 8 in the with an RBI in the tournament, while Merritt reached a 3-for-10 mark with a home run and two RBIs in addition to four walks.
Barnhill only pitched two innings over two appearances for USA Red. The Marietta, Georgia, native didn’t allow a hit or walk in either outing and picked up a strikeout in each.
Gourley began her tournament with an efficient start against the Czech Republic. She didn’t allow a hit in her three-inning, 36-pitch outing during the Blue’s 14-0 victory.
The 23-year-old from Lakeside, California, returned in the the bronze medal game to toss a perfect 3.2 innings. She struckout seven Chinese batters and only threw 46 pitches before leaving the game. Gourley only gave up five hits and two earned runs all tournament and finished with a 3-0 record for USA Blue.
Lorenz started Sunday’s third-place ballgame as designated player and went 0 for 2. The native of Moorpark, California, left Oklahoma City with a 2-for-10 mark for the Cup, striking out four times. However, she belted three-run home run on the first pitch she saw against the Czech Republic in the bottom of the first.
Outfielder Jaimie Hoover represented Puerto Rico at the International Cup. She played in all six games and went 2 for 14 at the plate. Yet, the rising junior from Suwannee, Georgia, showed off her slugging ability, belting a double and triple for her country.
Former UF pitcher Lauren Haeger did not compete at the International Cup, but was on the roster for Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, an independent team from Conroe, Texas.
mstine@alligator.org
Michelle Moultrie has a slugging percentage over 1.000 for Team USA.
