<html><head></head><body lang="en-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: initial;"> <div style="width: 100%; font-size: initial; font-family: Calibri, 'Slate Pro', sans-serif, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); text-align: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br style="display:initial"></div> <div style="width: 100%; font-size: initial; font-family: Calibri, 'Slate Pro', sans-serif, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); text-align: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br style="display:initial"></div> <div style="font-size: initial; font-family: Calibri, 'Slate Pro', sans-serif, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); text-align: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.</div> <table width="100%" style="background-color:white;border-spacing:0px;"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: initial; text-align: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 3pt 0in 0in; font-family: Tahoma, 'BB Alpha Sans', 'Slate Pro'; font-size: 10pt;"> <div><b>From: </b>Nick Dorety <ndorety@softball.org></div><div><b>Sent: </b>Friday, August 14, 2015 11:43 PM</div><div><b>To: </b>Nick Dorety</div><div><b>Subject: </b>Alyssa Palomino grand slam sends USA Juniors to Gold Medal Game at WBSC Junior Women's World Championship</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(186, 188, 209); border-top-width: 1pt; font-size: initial; text-align: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div><br><div id="_originalContent" style=""><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">August 14, 2015</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">Alyssa Palomino grand slam sends USA Juniors to Gold Medal Game at WBSC Junior Women’s World Championship</span></b><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">OKLAHOMA CITY </span><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">— The USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team punched their ticket to the Gold Medal Game today at the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Women’s World Championship (JWWC) in Oklahoma City, Okla. at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex. Team USA’s offense stole the show as the Eagles rolled to a 14-2 (five inning) win over Japan to remain undefeated. Kelly Barnhill (Marietta, Ga.) was able to work her way out of tricky situations from the circle as she struck out nine batters. Team USA’s win today secured their spot in the Gold Medal game tomorrow night at OGE Energy Field at 7:00 p.m. CST against the winner of Japan vs. Puerto Rico.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">Team USA came out strong in the first inning as Alyssa Palomino (Mission Viejo, Calif.) brought in two runs in the first, which were also the first runs scored by any team against Japan during the JWWC. Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) brought in Madilyn Nickles (Merced, Calif.) via a fielder’s choice for another U.S. run. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">Japan looked as if they would answer right back, but two strikeouts from Barnhill put that to a halt. Team USA did not stop there, as a Sydney Romero (Temecula, Calif.) double down the right field line scored two more runners. Japan got on the board after a couple of base hits brought in Mahiro Takenaka in the fourth inning. Team USA continued to pour on the runs, as they scored seven runs to seal the would-be win. Japan would add another run in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, but it would not be enough as the U.S. walked away with the 14-2 (five inning) win.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">“I thought we played well tonight,” said Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.), Head Coach of the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team. “We can take this as a confidence boost going into the Gold Medal game. We could see Japan again tomorrow if they beat Puerto Rico.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">Japan plays Puerto Rico at 4 p.m. CST for the Bronze Medal. The winner of that game will play Team USA at 7 p.m. CST at OGE Energy Field.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">“As coach said in our post-game huddle, tonight feels good but we have bigger goals to accomplish,” said Romero. “We are going to enjoy this win tonight, but as soon as we leave the field, it’s all about tomorrow. We came here to win Gold and all our focus is on accomplishing that mission.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">Palomino continued her ridiculous hot streak again tonight, going 2-for-4 with a grand slam and six RBI. Palomino now has four home-runs and 25 RBI at the JWWC. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><a href="http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Events/2015/August/09/XI-WBSC-Junior-Womens-World-Championship/Tournament/Schedule"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Click here to view the results, box scores and the schedule for the 2015 WBSC JWWC.</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Great tickets are still available for the 2015 JWWC. Fans have the option to purchase either single session tickets or the Gold Pass for the week-long event. Single day session tickets allow fans the opportunity to pick which days they plan on attending during the JWWC with the opportunity to watch any game they choose for that day. The Gold Pass includes all-session tickets for the JWWC, as well <span style="color:#333333">as an official event t-shirt, a program and the opportunity to have a personalized name slide on the video board and OGE Energy Field at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, with additional photo opportunities. </span> </span><a href="http://www.softballoutlet.com/graphics/2015_WBSC_seating.jpg"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Click here to view seating chart</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333"> Gold Passes and single session tickets can be purchased at the box office of OGE Energy Field. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">All games will be streamed live at no cost to fans through the official event website. There will be expanded coverage, beginning Thursday, August 13, featuring play-by-play and color commentary, in-game interviews, instant replays and unique camera shots. Visit </span><a href="http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Events/2015/August/09/XI-WBSC-Junior-Womens-World-Championship"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">2015jwwc.com</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333"> to watch games. </span><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">For updates, check or the tournament website </span><a href="http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Events/2015/August/09/XI-WBSC-Junior-Womens-World-Championship"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">2015JWWC.com</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333"> and keep up all week on the event’s official </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/2015JWWC?ref=hl"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333"> and </span><a href="https://twitter.com/2015_JWWC"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333">. Fans can also visit </span><a href="http://www.wbsc.co"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">www.wbsc.co</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:#333333"> for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">About ASA/USA Softball</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black"> <br>Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 74 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit </span><a href="http://www.asausasoftball.com/"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">http://www.asausasoftball.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">About the World Baseball Softball Confederation</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black">Headquartered in the Olympic Capital city of Lausanne, Switzerland, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) was established in April 2013 and granted recognition as the sole competent authority in baseball and softball by the International Olympic Committee at the 125th IOC Session in September 2013. The WBSC represents a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes worldwide. The WBSC governs all international competitions involving any of the National Teams of its 141 National Federation members. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships, The Premier 12, the World Baseball Classic, and the U12, U15, U18, U21 and Women's Baseball World Cups. For further information, please go to </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-0PshZTbIP6ZjcVLAK0YOW5Bs3lVDH0V1cR54vN-WjvLtVTDhaTjzD8UFEG90nPbUEGULmb0INSrs0LsAY9gifp-vJ6d0D-MekJiotmm8FeNlaGmpp9JlRU1QgJkRr6yUEtUZfetgIWdwd3d21e6AHmEE2AJIDv0&c=sQkp7pnqbiIDHi4SDfT21cdH2y87q1mtf01ZXy0MPGuVtNOc7PCcZw==&ch=gF0wMK6T5HOUFnh2aWtMgVzvGiNgbAhqfnSP1vZXEQh9K3wYoDy9xg==" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">www.WBSC.co</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:black"> or follow the WBSC on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/wbsc">@WBSC</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Nick Dorety</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">ASA/USA Softball</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Marketing & Communications Coordinator </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">2801 NE 50th Street</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">Oklahoma City, OK 73111</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif""> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">405-425-3422 - work</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">405-757-5306 - cell</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:blue"><a href="mailto:ndorety@softball.org">ndorety@softball.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif";color:blue"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><img border="0" width="134" height="62" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D0D6E2.913D6FE0" alt="ASA_USASplit logo_small"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"">On the Web</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif""> <a href="http://www.usasoftball.com/">ASAUSASoftball.com</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/asausasoftball/"><span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/asausasoftball/"><span style="color:blue">Twitter</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><br><!--end of _originalContent --></div></body></html>