Aleshia Ocasio pitches complete game, scores a run to send Puerto Rico to Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2024
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<p>Two-way player Aleshia Ocasio carried Puerto Rico to a <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="2-1 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2023-xvii-womens-softball-world-cup-group-b/schedule-and-results/box-score/119313" target="_blank">2-1</a></span></strong> win over China, sending her team to the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2024. Ocasio struck out eight in seven innings of work, giving up only one run; offensively, she went 2-for-3 with one run scored.</p>
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<p>China took the lead in the top of the first inning. A walk and a pair of hits produced the first run of the game, including an RBI single by Jiaxin Xie. This was the only run allowed by Ocasio, who silenced the Chinese lineup for the next six frames.</p>
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<p>Puerto Rico tied the game in the next inning, thanks to aggressive base running by Aleimalee Lopez from second base. She took advantage of an error of China’s second baseman Jiaxin Xie to tie the game.</p>
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<p>The Caribbean team plated the game-winning run in the fifth inning. Ocasio hit a line drive to right-centre field for a stand up double, and Karla Claudio recorded another clutch hit with an RBI single through the middle, driving in Ocasio from second.</p>
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<p>The one-run lead was all Ocasio needed to win the game. She tossed seven innings and allowed five runs and a walk, with eight Ks. </p>
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<p>Puerto Rico joined USA and Australia as the first teams to book a spot in the Finals 2024.</p>
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