UCLA was well represented at the Junior World Championships.
Bruin freshman Caitlin Benyi was Team USA’s top hitter in
international competition, helping the United States earn a silver
medal Monday in Nanjing, China.
Benyi, one of six Bruins on the team, went 14 for 27 (.519) with
three home runs and nine RBI.
“I’m proud of her,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist
said. “She led the charge for them offensively. She and Zap
(sophomore Emily Zaplatosch) were their RBI go-to
players.”
Zaplatosch led the team with 11 RBI during the 10-game,
week-long championships.
The team went 8-2 overall, with both losses against gold-medal
winner Japan.
Bruin sophomore Andrea Duran, as well as freshmen Jaisa Creps,
Lisa Dodd and Jodie Legaspi also played for Team USA.
“We are so proud that we were so well represented,”
Enquist said. “It’s a huge statement for USA Softball
that it’s putting together the best talent regardless of what
school (players) went to.”
No other school has more than two representatives on the
roster.
“The international experience is great for them,”
Enquist said. “USA Softball puts a lot of pressure on the
kids to get the gold medal back.”
Japan also won the gold in the last Junior World Championships,
a 19-and-under tournament held every four years.
Team USA had gone 6-0 in pool play, and won its first
double-elimination playoff game against Australia 4-0. A one-run
loss to Japan, a 7-0 win against Australia, and another one-run
loss to Japan later and the championships were over.
“The Japan team played a good game, and I really think
both teams really deserve a lot of credit for getting to the final
game and making it a good one,” Team USA coach Pam Newton
said in a press release. “We played hard throughout this
tournament and it has truly been a pleasure to work with this team
and these players. They are all very talented and have great
futures ahead of them.”
Among Bruin players, Creps went 4 for 9 (.444), Dodd went 10 for
26 (.385) with seven RBI, Duran went 7 for 20 (.350) with one home
run and four RBI, and Legaspi went 9 for 26 (.346) with one home
run and six RBI.
Dodd also pitched, starting two games and pitching relief in
another. She went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00 and 21 strikeouts in 15
innings.