Dickson, Team USA Impressive At World Championships

NORMAN, Okla. The USA Junior Women remained perfect at 3-0 in World Championship pool play after a dominating 20-0 performance over Thailand. Unleashing their bats, the team connected for 22 hits while right handed pitcher Meagan Denny (Crowley, TX) advanced to 2-0 hurling a perfect game striking out all nine batters she faced.

"I felt much more confident during this game," Denny said. "My feelings were not much different from the Netherlands game, but this time around I felt stronger. I try to study each batter, where they stand, how their feet are, and so forth. My rise ball was working a lot better this game and I really felt in a groove."

Lasting just a quick sixty minutes, the USA took a 4-0 lead in the first with base hits from Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, CA), Norrelle Dickson (University of Oklahoma) and Lisa Dodd (San Diego, CA). A double down the left field line from Desiree Williams (Tucson, AZ) plated the fourth run of the inning to give the U.S. an early jump.

Lighting up the scoreboard, the Junior Women continued their power at the plate in the second inning with 11 runs and 13 hits. Triples from Dickson and Jaisa Creps (Valencia, CA) along with doubles from Caitlin Benyi (Scottsdale, AZ), Lowe, Dodd, and Emily Zaplatosch (Scottsdale, AZ) pushed the U.S. lead to 15-0. The inning was highlighted by a three run homerun to left center from Williams who finished the game at 3-for-3 with four RBI.

Ten players on the U.S. lineup contributed at least one hit while Dodd led all batters going 4-for-4 with four RBI. Lowe, who leads the team in Championship action hitting .875, went 3-for-3 while Jessica Gilmore (Fort Walton Beach, FL), Dickson, Zaplatosch, Holly Krzan (West Richland, WA) and Creps added two hits a piece.

In Team USA's second game of the day, left-handed ace Monica Abbott (Salinas, CA) carried the USA Softball Junior Women's team to its fourth victory of the World Championship with a 6-0 victory over Canada. Perfect through five innings, the 6'3" pitcher retired 16 of the 22 batters she faced via strikeout and captured her first win of the tournament.

Taking a 1-0 lead in the second, Andrea Duran (Selma, CA) lined a single up the middle and later advanced into scoring position with a stolen base. Third baseman Norrelle Dickson, hitting .571, plated Duran for the RBI with a base hit through the middle to take the lead.

Scoreless through the third and fourth inning, the bottom of the fifth proved to seal the victory for the U.S. team. Contributing five runs off of five hits, the rally gave the U.S. a secure 5-0 advantage. It was Dickson again, going 2-for-3 for the night, who kick started the offense with a triple to right center later crossing the plate off a Canadian fielding error from shortstop Noemie Marin. Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, CA), who reached on the Canadian error, later advanced to second after Jackie Rinehart (Reno, NV) laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit.

Looking to the bullpen, the Canadians brought in relief pitcher Danielle Lawrie looking to stop the U.S. rally, but the Red, White and Blue proved otherwise. With two outs, catcher Emily Zaplatosch (Scottsdale, AZ) then blasted a 2-2 pitch to right center for a three run home run scoring Rinehart and Lowe taking the USA to a 5-0 advantage.

Dodd and Dickson led all hitters each going 2-for-3 while Zaplatosch recorded three RBI. With the win, the U.S. continues undefeated in pool play outscoring its opponents 41-1 and tallying its third shutout of the tournament. They are hitting a combined .510 and have totaled 50 hits in four games.

The U.S. Women will continue its road to the World Championship gold medal on October 16 when they face Chinese Taipei at 5 p.m.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Dickson, Team USA Impressive At World Championships

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