Thursday, July 16, 2009
4th World Cup of Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- The Amateur Softball Association has announced the 4th World Cup of Softball for July 16-20, 2009 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, OK. This world-class event will feature some of the best international softball team's in the world. In 2007, over 30,000 fans attended the five-day event where the USA established its dominance with a 3-0 win over Japan in the championship game.
All-session reserved seats, all-session grandstand reserved seats, and all-session general admission can be purchase at SoftballOutlet. Fans will also be able to purchase the Ultimate Fan Package which includes an all-session reserved seat in the premier section of the stadium, a personalized replica jersey and dinner with Team USA as well as an autograph session with the team.
USA Softball Wins Back-to-Back World Cup Titles
Oklahoma City--- For the second consecutive year the USA Softball Women’s National Team captured the World Cup championship. Team USA was bolstered the entire tournament by a strong offense and dominant pitching. USA scored 40 runs and only surrendered two the whole tournament.
The trend continued Monday night.
Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) took the first pitch of her first at bat and ripped it over the center field fence to give the team a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It marked her third home run of the World Cup which tied the World Cup record set by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) the previous year.
“I’ve been aggressive at the plate and hitting good pitches the entire tournament,” Flowers said. “I like knowing that I can help my pitchers out.”
Flowers’ run was bolstered by the bat of Crystl Bustos (Canyon County, Calif.) in the fifth inning. With Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) and Mendoza standing at first and second, Bustos blasted a two RBI double to left field.
Bustos battled through her at bat going through eight pitches before digging out the ninth ball and ripping it to the left field wall for a double.
“I was just looking for a pitch I could hit hard,” Bustos said. “The pitcher and I could have gone all night if I had to.”
Bustos ended the tournament batting .538 with eighth RBI and two HR.
Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) made her second start at the World Cup after throwing against China in pool play. She came out strong with 10 strikeouts through four innings including seven straight strikeouts between the second and fourth innings.
“I was sticking to my game plan until they made the adjustments, which they never did,” Osterman said. “Our defense was where they needed to be and made plays when they needed to be made.”
Osterman set a new World Cup record of 13 strikeouts in one game, passing her own record set last year of 11.
Japan started to make a rally in the top of the seventh inning when Aki Uenishi drew a walk. But the rally was short-lived when Uenishi violated the “look back rule” by not committing to a base when the ball was in the pitcher’s circle.
“The runner was jumping off the base,” Osterman said. “As soon as I got the ball in the circle I turned and looked at her.”
Team USA ended the tournament undefeated, winning all six of their games. Japan finished 4-2, losing both of their games to Team USA.
The Red, White and Blue will be making its last stop of the summer when they head to Rio De Janeiro Brazil for the 2007 Pan American Games. The team is looking to capture its sixth consecutive gold medal at the Pan Am Games.
USA Secures Spot in Championship Game of the KFC World Cup
Oklahoma City---The USA Softball Women’s National Team locked up a spot in the championship game of the 2007 KFC World Cup of Softball with a 7-0 run-rule victory over Canada on Saturday afternoon. This marks the third consecutive year the USA has advanced to the championship game at the World Cup of Softball.
The USA scored all the runs it would need in the top of the first inning during a two-out rally. Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) kept the inning alive with a single to right field before Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run home run to left field for a 2-0 lead.
Another two-out rally coupled with another two-run homer propelled the USA into a 4-0 lead. Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored when Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) homered to right field.
Three-runs in the sixth inning provided the USA with the necessary runs to end the game due to the international run rule. Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) singled to right field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Watley. A walk to Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) with the bases loaded plated the first run and a single by Vicki Galindo (Union City, Calif.) scored the final two runs of the game.
Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.) collected her first win of the 2007 KFC World Cup after pitching six complete shutout innings. During her outing she allowed only three hits and fanned eight. Robin Mackin suffered the loss for Canada allowing four runs, five hits and walked six.
The USA will play on Monday night at 8 p.m. CST . Their opponent will not be determined until after the Sunday evening games. Canada will need Japan to be swept in the evening session if they are to make it to the championship game.
USA Goes Complete Game For 4-1 Victory Over Japan
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) made her first appearance of the World Cup in the circle. She allowed a single to start off the first inning, marking the fourth time of the World Cup the pitching staff has allowed a hit in the first at bat of the game. However two fielder’s choices and a ground out to Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) kept runs off the board.
Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) led off for the team in the first with a single, advancing to third on a fly by Mendoza. Crystl Bustos (Canyon County, Calif.) hit a double to right field for and RBI and the 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the third, Mishini singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. She moved over to third on a fielder’s choice and would score when Naito singled to left field to tie up the game at 1-1 in the third.
Japan took out starter Someya and chose to throw Masubuchi. With Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour, Fl.) at first after a lead-off bunt, Flowers stepped up to the plate and again was explosive hitting a two-run homerun over right field. Flowers has put up 10 of the team’s 28 RBI this season, a team-high, including a grand slam in yesterday’s 9-0 victory over the Dominican Republic.
Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.) came in to pitch for the final three innings, earning her first save of the game. Abbott gave up four hits, allowed one run and struck out four batters. Finch allowed one hit and struck out four in 10 batters faced.
“I can’t say enough about what our hitters do for us,” said Finch. “To be able to have those runs on the board makes it a lot easier to relax and just go out and pitch your game.”
The team tacked on an insurance run in the fifth when Jung went 14 pitches into the count before hitting a single to first base scoring Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) who pinch ran for Bustos.
USA Women Dominate with 9-0 Win over Dominican Republic
Alicia Hollowell (Suisun, Calif.) earned her first start of the tournament, allowing a single in the first but no runs were scored. This was the only hit allowed by Hollowell in three innings pitched and the game.
The U.S. put a run on the board in the first when Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) scored off a sacrifice fly by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.), although the real damage came in the second inning.
The team had nine hits in the second, scoring eight runs. The team did a great job of pushing runs across with the team only leaving one stranded in 11 base runners. The team went through the lineup in the second with every single person earning a hit except Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach. Fl.) who drew a walk. Highlighting the inning was a three-run homerun by Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.), her first extra base hit in 13 games. Galindo finished the game 2-for-2 with a run scored and three RBI. Mendoza also contributed two RBI with a single shot to right field.
KFC World Cup Of Softball
USA Softball cruises past China on day two of KFC World Cup
Oklahoma City---For the second consecutive night the USA Softball Women’s National Team posted a run-rule victory at the KFC World Cup of Softball. Tonight China was on the losing end of a five-inning run rule victory by the USA, which scored eight runs in the first two innings for the 8-0 win.
Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) got things going for the Red, White and Blue in the bottom of the first inning with a single to left field and stole second base. Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) followed with a single to right field but the speedy Watley was held at third base with Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) waiting on deck. China decided to intentionally walk Bustos to load the bases and take their chances with Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.), who has been the hottest hitter in the USA line-up this season.
For the second consecutive night, Flowers made the opponent pay after intentionally walking Bustos to get to her. With a 3-2 count, Flowers blasted a home run to register her first grand slam of her National Team career.
The USA put the game out of reach in the bottom of the second, scoring four more runs off four hits to take an 8-0 lead. Watley had an RBI single that scored Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) who started the rally with a single to center field. Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) scored when Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.) reached on an error with the bases loaded.
Flowers earned her fifth RBI of the game when she walked with the bases loaded to push the lead to 7-0. Andrea Duran (Salem, Calif.) drove in the final run of the game with a single to left field that plated Bustos who walked for the second time in the game.
USA’s Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) earned her first win of the 2007 KFC World Cup, allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out nine. 19-year old Zhou Yin suffered the loss for China.
The USA will play in two games on Saturday with a 12 p.m. game against the Dominican Republic before returning for a much anticipated match-up with Japan at 7 p.m. China will face Canada in the nightcap on Saturday at 9:30 p.m.