Valerie Arioto homers in US wins over Canada and Netherlands at World Cup of Softball

Jeff Latzke, The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY - Valerie Arioto homered in her third straight game and drove in four runs, Samantha Fischer tacked on a three-run shot and the United States beat Canada 9-0 in five innings Saturday night in the World Cup of Softball.

Arioto smashed a three-run home run to left-centre field in the first inning and added an RBI single in the third, just before Fischer's shot to the same area made it 8-0.

Keilani Ricketts (1-0) gave up four hits and struck out six in a shutout as the game ended because of the run rule.

Arioto also delivered the tiebreaking solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning earlier in the day to lift the U.S. to a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands.