Clemson’s very own Valerie Cagle has begun competing on the international level after being selected for the USA’s Softball U-18 Junior Women’s National Team. 
Cagle and her USA team competed in the Junior Pan American Games from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2. The team was undefeated for the entire series, winning all 11 of its games. They played against opponents such as Peru, Mexico, Netherlands and Puerto Rico. 
In the Junior Pan American Games, Cagle and the Red, White and Blue took home gold with the help of her all-around performance. According to Team USA’s statistics, Cagle hit three home runs, including two grand slams. She also pitched 13 innings with 28 strikeouts.
On. Dec. 6, Cagle and team USA begin participating in the WBSC World Cup. Team USA will face eight other nations in the quest for the World Championship title. 
So far, in the World Cup, Cagle has not disappointed. While she has only pitched in two games, she threw for 5.1 innings allowing only four hits and two runs. 
Cagle has had six at bats in three games and has an impressive .500 batting average. She has also scored two runs in those games. 
Additionally, Cagle has played outfield in three games of the series. 
World-ranked No. 2 USA is currently tied for first place with No. 1 Chinese Taipei in the Cup. The United States has five wins in the round-robin with two games remaining before entering the final round.
The final round will consist of the top four teams of the Cup. The third and fourth ranked teams will compete for bronze, while the first and second ranked teams will compete for gold.
As for Cagle, the 2021 ACC Player of the Year is likely to bring home another medal with team USA, and she will begin her third year with the Tigers in February.
Live updates on Cagle’s performance and final results in the Softball World Cup can be found here.