USA Softball Handles Spokane All-Stars 31-0

SPOKANE, Wash. - The USA Softball team combined for 35 hits en route to a 31-0 win over Spokane All-Stars record tonight in nine innings to extend their KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour record to 53-1. The team hit a Tour best eight home runs with 14 of 31 runs being scored by the top of the lineup with Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) leading the way with five runs scored.

Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) hit her 25^th homerun of the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour to give the team an early 3-0 lead. Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) and Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) scored on the play after Lowe singled and Mendoza walked.

Houston native Cat Osterman, in her 14^th start of the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour retired the first three batters before Spokane All-Star Katie Kline led off the second inning with a ground rule double but Osterman allowed no one else to reach retiring the next three batters swinging.

After scoring one in the second off an RBI single by Mendoza the team was held scoreless in the third. Lowe broke the drought with a homerun, but unlike Bustos', this one would stay in the park as Lowe hit it down the right field line and used her speed to make it around in the fourth inning. The next hit for the team would be another homerun by Bustos to centerfield for two-RBI, plating Mendoza who walked, for an 8-0 lead. Duran followed with a tweener between third base and shortstop for a single before Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) ripped a bomb to left field for the third homerun of the inning for the Red, White and Blue. Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.) and Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) both hit safely ensuring that every player in the USA lineup would get a hit. Watley rounded out the offensive juggernaut with a single down the middle to give Galindo a run and the team a 11-0 lead.

"Tonight was a good night to better prepare us for those games that could go long at the Olympics," said Lowe who will be making her first appearance at the Olympics. "It's nice to see us continuing to get good at bats in and to see our pitchers be successful. There's definitely an excitement in the air with the Games around the corner so we are just continuing to prepare."

Osterman was stellar in the circle with 11 straight strikeouts from innings three through six.

The team took advantage, scoring two runs, when Flowers reached on an error by shortstop in the fifth inning before not scoring in the sixth. It was sevens all around with the team scoring seven runs in the seventh off seven hits. Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) took her first pitch of her first at bat for a homerun to centerfield and was followed up with a homerun by Duran. With bases loaded Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) hit a double to right centerfield with Galindo and catcher Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) scoring. A sac fly by Lowe and a two-RBI single by Duran rounded out the inning giving the team a 20-0 lead.

For the second straight game, the team went extra innings to prepare for extra inning games at the Olympics and there was no turning back for the team scoring 11 runs off 11 hits in the eighth. Highlighting the inning was a grand slam by Watley and a three-RBI homerun by Mendoza, who both went 2-for-2 in the eighth along with Lappin and Berg.

Osterman is now 14-0 and with her 22 strikeouts tonight surpassed the 200 mark with 215 strikeouts. She allowed three hits on the night, facing 28 batters.

The Bound 4 Beijing tour kicked off its final leg of travel in my home state of Oregon yesterday.

USA Softball took on the local ASA All-Stars in Portland in front of a sold out crowd.

Monica Abbott lead the way for Team USA with a no-hitter and a 19 and 0 victory.

Thanks for making a stop in Oregon Team USA! Can't wait to watch you all in China.



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I thought I would share this article with all of you softball fans.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080620/WDH02/806200551

It's nice that Jennie and Stacey can balance both being a mother and a world champion, I can imagine it would be difficult! It's definitely a full-time job to be a good mother. It seems like this "juggling" has become part of their natural routine, and to be without it now, would just be strange.

It just goes to show that all moms are superheroes in their own way. They don't have to be world-class athletes, but they are always "juggling" something. Make sure you thank your mom for everything that she does for you and all the sacrifices she makes for you. And tell her you love her too, it's always nice to hear :)

The other day I did some traveling in different parts of the surrounding cities that I haven't been through in quite a while. In doing so I passed several ball fields where softball was being played. Even large signs with directions to instructional softball leagues. Did not see any of this the last time. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure this increase is being repeated all over the country.

Yes, folks. The news is good. Softball is really growing.

I'm sure all you softball fans have read about this already, but I feel it should be written about in this group. As an athlete, it is stories like these that remind me that it is not always about winning or losing, but how you play the game.

On May 2nd, Western Oregon University and Central Washington University for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship. In the second game of their doubleheader, senior Sara Tucholsky smacked what would have been a three run home run. This was Sara's first ever home run in her entire life. Great, right? In Sara's excitement, she forgot to touch first base, and as her coach screamed at her to run back and touch the base, she pivoted her foot wrong and tore her ACL. Writhing in pain, her coach told her players not to touch her because if they did, she would be considered out. The umpire said the team could bring in a pinch runner, but her home run would then only be considered a single because that was as far as Sara got. In a dilemma, the first baseman from Central Washington, Mallory Holtman, who happened to have the record for the most home runs in a college career in Division II, and short stop Liz Wallace, asked the umpire if they carried her around the bases, would she be out. The umpire, flabbergasted, stared at them and told them it was allowed. The two girls walked over to Sara, picked her up, and carried her around all the bases so that she could complete the home run that she earned. With that action, Central Washington lost the game. But the two girls left with absolutely no regrets. "It just seemed like something anyone would have done" said the player of the year, Mallory Holtman.

This selfless act brought tears to fans' eyes. It reminds us that no matter how competitive and dirty sports can sometimes get, there are players that still remain classy and show incredible character. These two girls, with a simple action, changed the way people viewed sports. As I write this, I am emotional, as was everyone that has heard this story. It is a beautiful example of the way sports can show someone's true colors.

What are your thoughts?

Congratulations to the Arizona Sun Devils!! They clinched the Division I National Championship yesterday night when they swept the Texas A&M Aggies 11-0. Southpaw pitcher Katie Burkhart, threw 13 strikeouts in the win. This win to clinch the title is the largest margin in a shutout in CWS history! Talk about a demolition!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3424954

Believe it or not, Katie Burkhart had thought about quitting when she went into a slump during her freshman year. Can you imagine if she had quit.. Arizona State may not have even been here and she would never even have this experience.

Have any of you ever had hard decisions to make in sports? Have you ever thought about quitting? What stopped you? Tell us your stories!

The no. 5 seeded Texas A&M Aggies took on the no. 6 seeded Arizona State Sun Devils for the championship title in their best of three meeting.

The Aggies who had a come from behind victory over Florida with a surprise line drive RBI in extra innings by Kelsey Spittler, who had not had one hit during the CWS! Congrats to Kelsey!

The Sun Devils defeated Alabama after senior Jackie Vasquez bombed a three run homerun to bring them to their first chance to ever win a national championship. Way to go Jackie!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3421281

I am also a collegiate athlete, and though I play tennis now, I used to play softball, soccer and basketball. In every sport, sometimes players need to rise to the occasion, even the most unexpected players, at the most unexpected times. I am really happy for both Kelsey and Jackie. I know exactly how they feel... What about you guys? Have you ever had a big winning hit, or come out of the dugout when you least expected it and lit up the field?! Tell us about your experiences!

In their first game, on Monday night, Arizona State topped the Aggies 3-0. Game Two will be tonight at 8pm on ESPN2! Don't forget to tune in, because the Sun Devils may be able to take it all tonight unless A&M comes back fighting!!

More tomorrow!

Arizona's Lady Wildcats have it all but their head coach, Mike Candrea, who is currently coaching the U.S. Olympic Softball team. The ladies are currently under the guidance of assistance Larry Ray. Arizona (41-17) would be only the second team in history to "three-peat," behind UCLA from 1988-1990.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/2008-05-28-1952600979_x.htm

The Wildcats faced a similar scenario in 2004, when Candrea left to coach the USA women's team. The team had an unbelievable season, going 53-4 but then bowed out early in the CWS once they went under Ray's eye.

It doesn't sound very promising to me for the head coach to abandon his team at the most important time of the season... He must have had a very difficult time making that decision... United States or University of Arizona?

What do you guys think?

USA Softball's leading lady, Jennie Finch spoke out. But the ruling is final.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-05-05-voa34.cfm

The United States Women's National Softball team has won every gold medal since the sport was added to the Olympic program at the 1996 Atlanta Games. They have dominated international competitions like the Pan American Games and World Championships.

But as VOA's Steve Schy reports, softball will play its last Olympic innings in Beijing after being removed from the program starting with the 2012 Games in London.

I'd love to hear your thoughts?