July 21, 2009
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller guided the United States Women’s National Team, which includes Bulldog senior Chelsea Bramlett, to a third World Cup championship Monday night with a 3-1 win against Australia at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The U.S. got all three runs in the bottom of the third. Lauren Lappin led off the inning with a home run, and Ashley Hansen followed with a double to left field. A Caitlin Lowe ground-out advanced Hansen to third, and she scored on Alissa Haber’s RBI single up the middle.
After a pair of walks loaded the bases, the United States plated the final run on an Andrea Duran base hit to center field.
Australia answered in the top of the fourth as Stacey Porter homered off U.S. starter Monica Abbott. Abbott picked up the win as she allowed the lone run on four hits with 11 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Cat Osterman threw the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing just a walk while striking out three to earn the save. Australia put the tying run on base in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Osterman worked out of each jam to preserve the U.S. squad’s perfect run.
Miller’s team added the World Cup title to the Canada Cup championship it captured a week earlier, and finished 18-0 during the two-week trek.
Both Bramlett and Miller return to the road next week, traveling to the Japan Cup (July 28-Aug. 3) with a United States squad that includes former MSU all-American Courtney Bures.
Courtesy: mstateathletics.com
