Former Missouri Tiger CF Rhea Taylor help jump start the scoring as the USA Softball Women’s National Team downed the Czech Republic 7-2 to open the World Cup of Softball VI Thursday evening at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
The United States got the aid of a Czech Republic miscue in the second as Megan Langenfeld reached first and advanced to second on a drop fly ball. Taylor Hoagland reached on a two-out walk and the pair came around to score on Rhea Taylor’s triple to right field. Taylor then scored on an infield single by Lauren Grieve to push Team USA in front 3-0.
Whitney Canion picked up the win, allowing two earned runs in 5.0 innings pitch. Canion was perfect through three innings before allowing the Czechs to score both runs in the fourth. She held them to just three hits and struck out five. Mizzou’s Chelsea Thomas earned the save, throwing 2.0 hitless innings with four strikeouts.
Team USA faces Australia tonight.