Ally Carda Tosses Shutout as Team USA Wins Gold at Pan American Games

Photo courtesy of USA Softball

SANTIAGO, Chile – Ally Carda tossed a one-hit shutout and Haylie McCleney had two hits and scored two runs leading Team USA to a 7-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the gold medal game at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Carda silenced the Puerto Rico bats allowing only a fifth-inning single while striking out seven batters.

McCleney led a Team USA offense that piled up 11 hits as she had two singles, drove in a run and also reached via a walk.

Ali Aguilar, Rachel Garcia and Dejah Mulipola each recorded two hits for Team USA, while Amanda Lorenz homered and scored three runs.

With the win, Team USA improved to 106-5 all-time in Pan American Games competition and won its 10th gold medal in 12 appearances.

The Red, White and Blue dominated the competition during the tournament by outscoring its opponents 60-8 and posted a perfect 6-0 record.

Team USA wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as Lorenz homered to right in the bottom of the first inning giving the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.

The Eagles took advantage of four walks and an error to plate three runs in the bottom of the third inning.

McCleney and Lorenz drew walks to lead off the inning and Aguilar followed with a single to center and McCleney scampered home with the second Team USA run on an error on the relay throw in the infield.

Garcia increased the lead to 3-0 when she lined a single to center scoring Lorenz.

Sis Bates capped the inning for the Eagles when she drew a bases-loaded walk to brought home Aguilar to increase the lead to 4-0.

Team USA would end the game via run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Baylee Klinger hit a one-out triple to right to start the rally for the Eagles. McCleney plated pinch-runner Janae Jefferson with an RBI infield single to up the lead to 5-0.

Lorenz reached on a two-base error that allowed McCleney to score and Aguilar followed with a walk-off single scoring Lorenz to seal the gold medal for Team USA.

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