Nuveman's two homeruns leads USA Softball to 15-0 shutout - ISF women

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 8/31/06 7:43:53 AM 
From:  "Holly Krivokapich" <hollyk(at)softball.org> 

 
Subject:  Nuveman's two homeruns leads USA Softball to 15-0 shutout
 

  

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Nuveman’s two homeruns leads USASoftball to 15-0 shutout

 

Beijing, China – The USA SoftballWomen’s National Team stepped
onto the other side of the century marksecuring their 101st win
in the World Championships with a 15-0shutout victory over New
Zealand at the XI ISF Women’s WorldChampionships. The team improves
to 5-0 in pool play which secures a spot inthe playoff rounds.
The team has allowed only one run in 28 innings played thusfar
in the championship.

 

The U.S. wasted no time getting on basewith the top of the lineup
drawing three consecutive walks to load the bases.An error at
first base plated Caitlin Lowe (TustinCalif.), giving the U.S.
its first run of the game.Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) belted
a single to right center toput up two more runs. The Red, White
and Blue capitalized on two more New Zealanderrors to put runners
on and push their lead to 4-0 after the first inning. 

 

Monica Abbott (SalinasCalif.) started in the circle for the U.S.
and allowed a leadoff single to rightcenter but two strikeouts
and a perfect strike by Nuveman to second on anattempted steal
kept New Zealand off the board. 

 

Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.led off for the team in the second
inning, reaching on an error by the pitcher.Watley, a perfect
2-2 in stolen bases entering this game, encountered her firstcaught
stealing when she was called out at second. With Crystl Bustos
(CanyonCounty, Calif.) on first after hitting a single to left
field, Nuveman belted ahomerun over the center field fence to
give her team a 6-0 cushion.

 

With two outs and two runners on, the U.S. offenseexploded for
seven runs in the third inning, the most by the offense in anyinning
of this championship. With Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.)
and Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.in scoring position after
turning in singles, Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.singled
to left field for two runs. Bustos drove in Mendoza with her
second double of thetournament before Nuveman, who finished the
game with six RBI off three hitsdrove her second home run over
the left center field fence to clear the basesand give the team
an 11-0 lead. Jung drove in the 12th run of thegame scoring Andrea
Duran (Selma Calif.) who reached on base witha single. After
drawing a walk, Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.scored the final
run of the inning when Berg reached on an error by thepitcher.

 

New Zealand responded with their own two-out rallyin the third,
putting up back-to-back hits but a groundout to Abbott kept theshutout
within reach. 

 

In the fourth, Duran drove in her secondrun of the tournament
with a single down the right field line that scoredMendoza who
drew a walk. Needing only one run to end the game due to the
runrule, Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.), pinch hitting for
Finch, drew a bases loadedwalk to score Jenny Topping (Whittier
Calif.) who had singled earlierin the inning. 

 

The team kept New Zealand off the board in thefourth, securing
their fifth win and fourth shutout of this World Championship.

 

Abbott earned her first career win in aWorld Championship, facing
15 batters, allowing three hits and striking outfive. Mendoza
continues to produce offensivelyas she did last month at the
II World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City. She leads the team
with nineRBI off eight hits and ties a team-high seven runs and
two homeruns. 

 

The team will face host China onFriday, September 1, at 6:30
a.m. (CT). Complete coverage of this eventincluding press releases,
live stats, photo galleries and box scores can befound at www.usasoftball.com.

 

Holly Krivokapich
Assistant Director of Communications
ASA/USA Softball
405-425-3431
www.asasoftball.comwww.usasoftball.com 

 

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