U-15 Pan American Games: Team USA Wins Championship Game 9-0 Over Mexico

*** Information & photos courtesy of USA Softball…

Second verse, same as the first, as Team USA beat Mexico for the second straight day at the 2023 U-15 Women’s Pan American Championship in Lima, Peru.

After a 14-0 win win on Friday in the Super Round, the title match was actually a close game until the bottom of the 4th inning when the Red, White & Blue exploded for eight runs to put the championship game out of reach.

Anabela Abdullah was the offensive star as she homered and doubled with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.

The offensive machine that was the USA offense was amazing once again and it has been all week long for the event. Every USA batter got at least one hit and the team batting average for the week was .562. Because of the 113 runs scored in the eight games–an average of more than 14 runs scored per game (!)–every contest was a run-ruled shortened victory and the length of the games on average for the Americans was less than four innings per win.

In the circle Madi Doty started for Team USA and got the victory, her third of the week, and was named as the Tourney MVP after finishing the week with a 0.00 ERA while striking out 22 opposing hitters. Macie Bryant, who was just named on Friday as the No. 1 player in the 2027 Extra Elite 100 rankings, came in to finish the game and get the save.

Click here to view all the details from Peru including results, stats and live streams as provided by USA Softball.

Below are the details from Game 8, the championship of this year’s U-15 Pan Am Championship…

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SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2023 – CHAMPIONSHIP

USA 9, Mexico 0

TEAM USA STARTERS: 

• Stevie South (CF), Aspen Boulware (RF), Anabela Abdullah (SS), Addison Otto (3B), Aubrey McLaughlin (1B), Riley Staats (DP), Brooklyn Paratore (C), Torynn Slaughter (LF), Jordyn Johnsen (2B), Madi Doty (P)

WINNING PITCHER:    

• Madi Doty (3-0)

RELIEF PITCHER:    

• Macie Bryant (entered the game in the fourth inning)

BATTING LEADERS:     

• Anabela Abdullah (2-2, double, home run, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI)
• Aspen Boulware (2-3, single, double, 1 run scored, 1 RBI)
• Jordyn Johnsen (1-1, double, 1 run scored, 2 RBI)
• Taegan Lermann (1-1, double, 1 run scored, 2 RBI)

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

Getting the start in the circle for the U.S. was Madi Doty, who limited the Mexico offense to two hits through three innings before Macie Bryant stepped in to close out the game with six strikeouts through the fourth and fifth innings.

The U.S. pitching duo combined for 10 strikeouts in the win while leading the Eagles to its eighth shutout. The Mexico defense looked to force a slow start for the U.S., but Abdullah had other plans as she sent a two-out solo home run over the left field fence to give the Eagles a one-run edge.

The second and third innings saw solid pitching and competitive glove work from both squads with the score held at 1-0 until Team USA busted the game open in the bottom of the fourth with an eight-run inning to threaten the run-rule. 

Brooklyn Paratore got the bats started for the Eagles with a double through the left side, followed by another double from Johnsen and a triple from Stevie South to plate three and extend the U.S. lead, 4-0. Aspen Boulware and Abdullah kept the bats alive with back-to-back doubles to bring two more runs in before a walk and a hit-by-pitch set the stage for Sofia Hernandez to deliver a sac-fly for another run followed by a double from Taegan Lermann to score two and put the U.S. ahead 9-0. 

Bryant – who entered the circle in the top of the fourth – continued to stun the Mexico bats with three K’s in the top of the fifth to seal the run-rule and earn the gold medal for the U-15 WNT.

GAME NOTES:

• Doty got her third start for the U.S., issuing four strikeouts and allowing two hits through three innings.
• Bryant got her third appearance in the circle – retiring six batters via a strikeout and allowing only one hit.
• For the first time of the tournament, the Eagles were limited to just one run through three innings.
• Team USA recorded six of their nine hits and scored eight of their nine runs in the top of the fourth.
• Abdullah recorded a two-out solo home run – the second home run of her U.S. career.

PAN AM NOTES:

• The U.S. remained undefeated throughout the tournament with eight-straight shutouts – all of which were run-rules.
• The U.S. pitching staff did not allow a run all tournament while tossing five no-hitters and allowing a low of five hits and four walks.
• Through eight contests, the U.S. played only 31 innings due to run-rule.
• Team USA outscored its opponents 113-0 with six-of-eight games seeing at least 10 or more runs scored by the Eagles.
• Six of eight games saw Team USA score at least one run in the first inning.
• The U.S. combined for a .562 batting average throughout the tournament with every U.S. batter recording a hit.
• South and Abdullah finished the tournament with an eight-game hit-streak.
• Doty earned Tournament MVP behind a 3-0 record in the circle, 22 strikeouts and a .000 ERA.
• South was named Tournament Batting Champion with a .684 batting average.
• Abdullah earned the Most Runs Batted In award with 16.
• Boulware earned Most Stolen Bases Award (10) and Most Runs Scored (16).

BOX SCORE:

To view all box scores, click HERE.

PREVIOUS GAMES:

• To read our intro article to the Pan Am Games, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 1 win over Peru, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 2 win over Columbia, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 3 win over Guatemala, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 4 win over Brazil, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 5 win over Puerto Rico, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 6 win over Venezuela, click HERE.
• To read the complete story of the Game 7 win over Mexico, click HERE.