With Team USA’s great offensive strategies, they dominated their turf in the KFC World Cup on July 12-16 by winning the championship for the second year in-a-row. USA went undefeated in six games, scoring a total of 40 runs through the entire tournament, and took home the gold.

Tairia Flowers from Tucson, AZ gave the US a 1-0 lead against Japan in the second inning of the championship game when she scorched a home run. Flowers’ homer tied the KFC World Cup record with Jessica Mendoza’s (Camarillo, CA) three home runs in 2006.

While Natasha Watley from Irvine, CA and Mendoza were on first and second in the fifth inning, Crystl Bustos from Canyon County, CA smacked a two RBI double to left field. She finished the World Cup with a .538 batting average, eight RBI and two home runs.

Pitcher Cat Osterman had a terrific tournament as well when she made her second start at the KFC World Cup against China. Osterman had 10 strikeouts in four innings in that game and later broke her own strikeout record (11 in 2006) when she struck out 13.

It appeared Japan was going to come back in the seventh inning when Aki Uenishi was walked, but she was called out for being off the base as the ball was pitched and, Japan’s rally was short-lived.

Japan ended the tournament 4-2, losing to the US twice.