[Alsfastball] USA SOFTBALL-USA wins doubleheader; Osterman tosses no-hitter

[Al Doran]

Subject: USA SOFTBALL-USA wins doubleheader; Osterman tosses no-hitter
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 07:33:05 -0500
From: "Brian McCall" <bmccall at softball.org>
To: fastball

July 10th



USA Softball sweeps doubleheader in front of record crowd



Ft. Worth, TX---The USA Softball Women’s National Team breezed past the 
Ft.  Worth All-Stars in game one of a double-dip tonight in front of a 
record crowd of 6,121 at Gateway Park. The U.S. tallied 13 hits in the game 
and U.S. starter Jennie Finch (La Mirada, CA) allowed just one over the 
minimum in five innings of work.



Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, CA) gave the U.S. a 2-0 lead in the bottom 
of the first inning sending a 1-0 pitch over the centerfield fence to score 
Leah O’Brien-Amico (Chino Hills, CA) who had reached on a walk. She has 
now smashed 22 home runs on the ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour in just 47 games.



The U.S. batted around in the second inning to took a commanding 9-0 lead 
after Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, CA) singled in two runs, Amanda Freed 
(Cypress, CA) singled in one and Jessica Mendoza tripled to score the final 
tow runs of the inning.



Natasha Watley (Irvine, CA) led off the bottom of the third with a double 
and scored on a single by Leah O’Brien-Amico (Chino Hills, CA). The final 
two runs of the game came from an RBI single by Bustos and a sacrifice fly 
by Fernandez.



Finch improves to 15-0 on the ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour after allowing 
only a bunt single in the third inning. In five innings of work she allowed 
only a single walk while recording nine strikeouts.



Game Two



Osterman no-hits Ft. Worth Stars to improve to 15-0



Ft. Worth, TX---In game two of the doubleheader the USA routed the Ft. 
Worth All-Stars 16-0 in five innings to complete its tour of Texas with a 
doubleheader sweep and improve to 48-0 on the ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour. 
Houston native Cat Osterman was spectacular in the circle tossing a five 
inning no-hitter while fanning 13 of the 16 batters she faced.



An RBI triple by Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, CA) and an RBI single by 
Stacey Nuveman (LaVerne, CA) gave the U.S. an early 3-0 lead in the bottom 
of the first inning.



The second inning was productive once again for the U.S. squad as it scored 
seven runs in the bottom of the second inning. Crystl Bustos (Canyon 
Country, CA) launched her second home run of the night to score three runs 
and push her RBI mark for the day to five and her overall home run total to 
23.  Jenny Topping (Whittier, CA) kept the scoring going with a double 
through the right side and Tairia Mims-Flowers (Tucson, CA) laced an  RBI 
double to right field for the final run of the inning.



A six run fourth inning pushed the USA lead to 16-0 and gave the Red, White 
and Blue the runs it needed to induce the mercy rule and end the game in 
five innings.



The last time Osterman pitched in the pre-Olympic tour in Ft. Worth she was 
actually facing the 2000 Olympic team. As a 17-year old pitcher for the 
Katy Cruisers 18-under ASA Gold team she pitched five innings and allowed 
only an infield single and struck out an astonishing 11 batters.



Osterman improves to 14-0 on the tour and continues to be the only U.S. 
pitcher to not allow an earned run this season. In 66 1/3 innings of work, 
she as allowed only 13 hits, four walks and has struck out 152.



Bustos continues to be the offensive juggernaut for the USA squad improving 
her batting average to .534 with 17 doubles, three triples, 23 RBIs and an 
amazing 90 RBI. She continues to be flawless defensively with a perfect 
1.000 fielding percentage.



With only four three stops remaining on ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour, the 
U.S. squad rolls into Oklahoma City for a doubleheader against the National 
Profastpitch All-Stars on Tuesday, July 13. The tour will conclude with 
stops in Stevens Point, on July 15 and a stop in Stratford, CT on July 17.

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