Dalton-Hill, USA nab bronze in IBAF World Cup
GLENDALE — Jenny Dalton-Hill and the United States Baseball Women’s National Team didn’t leave Venezuela empty handed.
Though the United States didn’t win the gold medal at the 2010 International Baseball Federation World Cup, it did manage to grab a medal.
The United States received two hits and two runs batted in from Jenny Dalton-Hill, a former Glendale High and University of Arizona softball star, to earn a convincing 15-5 win against Venezuela on Sunday at Jose Perez Stadium in Maracay, Venezuela in the bronze-medal game.
“It was a tournament like no other,” Dalton-Hill said by phone from Atlanta after earlier traveling from Caracas to Miami. “It was quite an adventure with plenty of thrills, chills and suspense.
“We were able to get a medal. I’ve got some bumps and bruises and had to sit out a couple of the games. It’s a team that gelled together and we had a fun group.”
Fourth-seeded United States saw Dalton-Hill come through with a two-run single in the bottom of the first-inning to highlight a four-run outburst. Dalton-Hill’s hit to left made it 3-0. The United States led throughout the contest, which was called after the sixth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule. Dalton-Hill, who now resides in Lexington, Ky., also scored a run in the first on an error.
The United States finished with 20 hits en route to winning its second bronze in a row. Dalton Hill, who graduated from Glendale in 1992 and hit a then-CIF record 28 career home runs, recorded seven putouts while playing first base.
The United States scored at least one run in each inning against the host country.
Dalton-Hill, who helped the Nitros win a pair of Pacific League championships and led Arizona to three NCAA titles between 1993-96, had a single in the second inning. In five tournament games, Dalton-Hill batted .400 (six for 15) with four runs batted in and 40 putouts.
The United States began the tournament Aug. 12 with a 5-1 pool-play loss to Japan. It then posted a 21-0 win against South Korea on Aug. 15 before then earning a 5-0 win against Cuba the same day.
Dalton-Hill and the United States then picked up a 9-0 win against Puerto Rico on Aug. 16 and came back with a 10-1 victory against Canada on Wednesday. Venezuela rallied for a 7-6 win against the United States on Thursday and the United States suffered a 19-6 loss to Australia.
On Saturday, Japan handed the United States a 6-1 loss in a semifinal game.
In the championship game Sunday, Japan beat Australia, 13-3.
