Eriksen Leads Team USA to World Championship Playoffs Against Japan
CHIBA, Japan (Aug. 10, 2018) – USF and USA head coach
Ken Eriksen has taken Team USA on an 8-0 streak at the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Championship, just two wins away from earning a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Red, White and Blue heads to the WBSC World Championship playoffs against Japan on Saturday at 6 a.m. (ET).
Team USA is undefeated and has outscored opponents 53-4 in the world championships in Chiba, Japan over the last week. Under coach Eriksen's guidance, the Eagles claimed the top seed in Group A after an 8-1 win over undefeated Puerto Rico on Wednesday. Team USA will take on Japan as it looks to clinch a spot in the gold medal game, and past that, a berth to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Winning gold at the International Cup in Irvine, Calif., earlier this summer gave the Eagles momentum as it continues on the road to Tokyo. The WBSC World Championship is the first chance the team has had to directly earn one of the five spots in the 2020 Olympic Games, with Japan qualifying automatically as the host country.
The winner of Saturday's clash of giants, USA and Japan, will go straight to the championship game. The loser will play in the bronze medal game (Sunday, 1 a.m. ET) with a chance to earn a spot in Sunday's championship, which will take place at 6 a.m. (ET).
Team USA is coming off a 3-1 win over Australia that featured an 18-strikeout performance from Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.). USF Softball Director of Operations
Valerie Arioto has been a huge contributor to Team USA with a .538 average in the World Championship. She is 7-for-13 with three runs, and three RBI.
Fans all over the world can rely on WBSC YouTube Channel for a complete coverage. Wherever you are, you can access for free to
www.youtube.com/wbsc. However, your zone may be subject to geo blocking. In this case, you will be redirected to a different provider based in your region.
WBSC broadcast and live stream partners will cover 41 countries in the Spanish speaking Americas (
AYM Sports); the USA and Canada (Flo Sports;
www.flosoftball.com) and 42 countries in Europe SportRadar (
www.baseballsoftball.tv).
Fans can follow live stats
HERE. For tournament standings, stats and schedule information visit
WBSC.org.
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.
– #GoBulls –
