Ricketts, Shults Help U.S. to Three Wins

July 12, 2011

NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts and Jessica Shults continued international action for the USA Softball Women's National Team at the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship in Surrey, B.C., as the American team improved its tournament record to 5-1 with three wins Monday and Tuesday. The U.S. posted a 3-1 eight-inning win over Canada Monday night that saw Ricketts pick up the win in relief action. The U.S. followed up the performance Tuesday with a come-from-behind 5-1 win over Japan before dispatching of Venezuela, 10-0, in four innings.

In its second extra-inning performance of the tournament, the U.S. reversed its fortunes with the 3-1 win over its neighbors from the north after suffering a 1-0 nine-inning defeat to Japan on Sunday, a game that saw Ricketts go the distance in the circle. Monday's win over the Canadians saw Ricketts pick up the win after entering the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Ricketts struck out three of the first five batters she faced as she finished with six strikeouts and with no hits allowed along with one walk in 3.1 innings pitched. After the U.S. added two runs in the top of the eighth inning, Ricketts began the inning with a Canadian runner on second due to the international tie breaker rule but struck out all three batters she faced to end the game and give the American squad the victory.

Action resumed for the Americans on Tuesday when they posted five runs in the bottom of the fifth to defeat Japan after falling behind 1-0.

Following the first win of the day, the U.S. needed just four innings to do away with Venezuela as Shults started at catcher for the American squad. Shults opened at the plate in the bottom of the second with a double before scoring four batters later on Megan Lagenfield's sacrifice fly to left. Shults flew out to shortstop on her next trip to the plate before advancing to first on her third trip to the plate after being hit by a pitch. Shults ended the game on third base as Taylor Hoagland scored the 10th run for the U.S.

The U.S. returns to action Wednesday vs. Australia with action scheduled throughout the remainder of the week, finishing with the championship game on Sunday, July 17. Following the event, the Ricketts, Shults and the rest of the U.S. team heads to Oklahoma City for the World Cup of Softball VI. The event runs July 21-25 at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Tickets for the event can be purchased at SoftballOutlet.com.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Ricketts, Shults Help U.S. to Three Wins

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