ICHIHARA, Japan (AP) — Alison Aguilar and Delaney Spaulding drove in three runs each as the United States beat Taiwan 7-0 Saturday to improve to 2-0 in Group A at the women's softball world championship, a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Aguilar hit a bases-loaded double in a five-run second inning when Spaulding doubled in a single run. Spaulding completed the scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth and the game was called after five innings on the tournament's mercy rule.
Keilani Ricketts picked up the win after striking out four and giving up only three hits over five innings.
The winner of the tournament will be awarded an Olympic berth. If Japan wins, the second-place finisher will be granted the Olympic spot as Japan has an automatic berth as host.
Also in Group A, Puerto Rico beat South Africa 9-0.
In Group B games on Saturday, Australia edged Italy 3-2 and China shut out Britain 1-0.
Japan, which beat the United States to win the gold medal in Beijing, thrashed Botswana 20-0 in three innings on Friday to improve to 2-0 in Group B.
Softball and baseball were dropped after the 2008 Beijing Olympics but have been added to the program for 2020.
