USA Softball 'really connected' at International Cup even with short turnaround

· Yahoo Sports

Forty-eight hours is how long Team USA had to train together for the first day of the International Cup in Oklahoma City.

Players fresh off the NCAA softball and AUSL seasons make up the U.S. Women's Elite Team’s 18-person roster of veterans and newcomers.

Visit sportbet.reviews for more information.

But something must have clicked in those two days as the U.S. Women's Elite Team fought together from a late deficit against No. 5 Chinese Taipei to a 6-4 victory in extra innings.

Thursday night at Devon Park was all about the former Duke star who didn’t even start the game but sent in two home runs, Ana Gold.

“Playing for USA means so much more to me (than college),” Gold said. “It's just such an honor and a privilege to wear this jersey."

The 2025 AUSL Rookie of the Year hit 3-for-3 in game-changing moments, including her two-run homer in the top of the eighth to win the game.

More: Get to know OSU, OU softball legends on Team USA rosters for 2026 International Cup

“I'm trying to hit hardline drives,” Gold said. “And when you do that, I think good results happen. Just not trying to do too much.”

Gold is one of the several players on this roster new to international play.

"We're used to coming together with whatever roster or whatever lineups out there and trying to connect with them as soon as we can,” veteran Morgan Zerkle said. “And I thought for our first time being on the field together as a team, we looked really connected today.”

Zerkle, who ended the night with two runs and two RBIs, has a decade of experience on the ever-changing Team USA rosters.

“It's a surreal moment,” Zerkle said. “I was actually at the World Cup here 10 years ago, so to be able to fight to be back in this jersey is just an honor to be here and continuing to grow as an athlete and compete to wear these colors.

The U.S. Women's Elite team and the Women’s National Team are both representing Team USA this weekend with six other countries.

“Every inning we go out there, we want to do our best for our country and for each other,” Zerkle said, “and we expect to be in the championship with the other USA team at the end."

More: Who will make Team USA softball for 2028 Olympics in OKC? We make our predictions

Amanda Avila is a sports intern for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Amanda? She can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @avilaonair. Support Amanda's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: USA Softball 'really connected' at International Cup even with short turnaround

Read full story at source