USA Softball wins sixth consecutive World Championship - ISF women

Tue Sep 5 12:34:24 EDT 2006

Received: 9/5/06 11:27:40 AM 
From:  "Holly Krivokapich" <hollyk(at)softball.org> 

Subject:  USA Softball wins sixth consecutive World Championship

USA Softball wins sixth consecutive WorldChampionship

Beijing, China --- The USA Softball teamwas crowned World Champions
for the sixth consecutive time after defeatingJapan, 3-0, in
the gold medal game of the XI ISF Women’s WorldChampionship.
USA’s CatOsterman (Houston, Texasout dueled Japan’sYukiko Ueno
to earn her fifth victory of the championship and prove she is
thebest pitcher in the world. In seven innings of work, Osterman
allowed only onehit and struck out 14 to secure the World title.

Through the first two innings bothpitchers held their opposition
hitless with Osterman striking out three of thesix batters she
faced while Ueno fanned one.

“Its amazing what 24 hours can do. Softball is a very humblingsport
and you have to get used to the highs and lows. The three of
these ladiesup here today, Cat (Osterman), Jessica (Mendozaand
(Crystl) Bustos are veterans in my eyes,” said head coach MikeCandrea.
“And games like today are what veterans do. They come through
intough situations. It was a great game and they performed very
well against avery good team. We needed to be at our best today
and the team was.” 

In the top of the third inning USA firstbaseman Jennie Finch
(La Mirada, Calif.) broke up Ueno’s no-hitter with alead off
single to left field but was left stranded when Lovieanne Jung(Fountain
Valley, Calif.) struckout swinging followed by groundouts by
 LauraBerg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) and Caitlin Lowe (Tustin,
Calif.)

A lead-off walk to Megu Hirose in thebottom of the third provided
Japanwith their first baserunner of the game but U.S. catcher
Stacey Nuveman erasedthe threat with a snap throw to first that
nailed Hirose. Osterman took care ofthe final two batters by
recording her fourth and fifth strikeout of the game.

With one out in the top of the fourthinning Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo,
Calif.) started a rally with a rocket through the leftside of
the infield and Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) followed
with a single to leftcenter to put the first runner of the game
in scoring position. Ueno respondedto the challenge by getting
Nuveman to pop up to second base and Andrea Duran(Selma, Calif.)
to chase a third strike out of the zone.

Japan broke up Osterman’s bid for ano-hitter in the bottom of
the fourth inning when Emi Naito singled up themiddle but no
damage was done as Osterman got Eri Yamada to pop up and madeSatoko
Mabuchi her sixth strikeout of the game. 

The momentum of the game took a dramaticswing in the top of the
sixth inning. With one out, Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.laid
down a perfect bunt for her first hit of the game. Mendoza, who
leads the USA inalmost every possible offensive category, came
through once again with a linedrive home run to right field to
give the Red, White and Blue a 2-0 lead.Bustos added an insurance
run with a blast deep over the left field fence toput the USAup
3-0.

“Every pitcher has a plan each at bat. She kept throwing me awayand
beat me at it with a strikeout earlier in the game. I didn’t
want herto beat me again with that pitch,” said Mendoza. “Its
how the game works andthat’s why its so exciting. Sometimes she
gets me and sometimes I gether. Today I got her and its nice
to come out on the other side.” 

Osterman took care of the rest by strikingout nine of the last
10 batters she faced including three strikeouts in theseventh
inning.

Mendoza and Bustos were the offensivejuggernauts for the USAall
week long while Osterman took care of business in the circle.
Mendoza finished thechampionship with a .500 batting average
(16-for-32), five home runs, 14 runsscored and 16 RBI. Bustos
ended the championship with a .500 batting average(17-for-34,
six doubles, two home runs, 10 runs scored and 14 RBI.

Osterman was simply amazing going 6-0 withwins over 6th place
Italyfifth place Canada, fourthplace China, third place Australia
and runner-up Japan. She pitched 41 of the 66innings for the
United States allowing just three earned runs whilestriking out
70 in six games.

The win solidifies the USA’s position as the No. 1 team in theworld
and earns it the top seed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

“We learned a lot here. The venue here is very good and justneeds
a couple minor tweaks. They volunteers are great and well organizedhere,”
said Candrea of his team’s experience. “It was a greatexperience
for us and will be helpful in us planning for 2008. This has
been atremendous three weeks for us and the people of Beijing
have been wonderful.” 

Holly Krivokapich

Assistant Director of Communications

ASA/USA Softball

405-425-3431

www.asasoftball.com  www.usasoftball.com 

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