Clarisa Navarro selected for USA baseball

Arkansas softball’s Clarisa Navarro of La Joya, Texas, will spend her second year with USA baseball this summer and will compete in Canada at the IBAF World Cup beginning Aug. 10.

The junior shortstop joins a select group of 20 players in Salt Lake City for two preliminary games vs. the Aussie Stars on Aug. 6-7. The team will then travel to Edmonton for its final two pre-tournament games, against Australia and Canada on August 7-8, respectively. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. (CT) in both games.

The IBAF World Cup kicks off with pool play from Aug. 10-17. Team USA will play six games in seven days vs. Australia (Aug. 11), Japan (Aug. 12), Canada (Aug. 13) and Cuba (Aug. 14). After a day off on Aug. 15, the Women's National Team will resume play against Chinese Taipei (Aug. 16) and Venezuela (Aug. 17).

The top four teams from each pool will advance to a tournament beginning on Aug. 18 with the semifinals. The championship game will be played on Aug. 19.  All games will be played at either Telus Field or John Fry Park in Edmonton.

Navarro started all 57 games for the Razorbacks last season, her first with the team. The junior college transfer averaged .337 at the plate while leading the team in hits (62), total bases (107), and doubles (11). Defensively she led the team in assists with 124. Navarro was honored by the NFCA being named to the All-Region second team. She helped the Razorbacks go 29-28 in 2012 and advance to the finals of the NCAA Berkeley Regional.