USA Softball wins sixth consecutive World Championship

September 5, 2006

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Beijing, CN

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 6^th 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 

TEAM USA

Season Statistics

• Overall Statistics

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Overall Statistics

2006 World Championship
Overall Statistics for TEAM USA (as of Sep 05, 2006)
(All games Sorted by Batting avg)

Record: 10-1   Home: 0-0   Away: 0-0   Neutral: 10-1   Conference: 1-0



Player                 AVG  GP-GS    AB   R   H  2B  3B  HR RBI   TB  SLG%  BB HBP  SO GDP   OB%  SF  SH  SB-ATT   PO   A   E  FLD%

Bustos, Crystl......  .500  11-11    34  10  17   6   0   2  14   29  .853   2   0   1   0  .528   0   0   1-1      0   0   0  .000
Mendoza, Jessica....  .500  11-11    32  14  16   0   0   5  16   31  .969   5   1   3   0  .579   0   0   0-1      4   0   0 1.000
Topping, Jenny......  .500   6-3      8   3   4   2   0   0   2    6  .750   1   0   1   0  .500   1   0   0-0     20   1   0 1.000
Berg, Laura.........  .346  10-10    26   2   9   0   1   0   3   11  .423   0   0   1   0  .346   0   1   0-0      5   0   0 1.000
Flowers, Tairia.....  .333   5-4      9   2   3   0   0   0   0    3  .333   0   0   2   0  .333   0   1   0-0     23   4   1  .964
Lowe, Caitlin.......  .314  11-11    35  14  11   0   0   0   2   11  .314   4   0   2   0  .385   0   0   6-6      4   0   0 1.000
Watley, Natasha.....  .306  11-11    36  12  11   0   0   0   3   11  .306   2   1   2   0  .359   0   1   3-4      8  12   2  .909
Jung, Lovie.........  .300   8-8     20   2   6   0   0   0   1    6  .300   4   0   5   0  .417   0   0   0-0     13   8   1  .955
Duran, Andrea.......  .267  11-11    30   5   8   1   0   1   7   12  .400   4   0   5   0  .343   1   0   2-2      2  10   1  .923
Galindo, Vicky......  .250   6-3      8   1   2   1   0   0   3    3  .375   1   1   2   0  .400   0   0   0-0      7   2   0 1.000
Nuveman, Stacey.....  .241   9-9     29   3   7   0   0   3   8   16  .552   2   0   6   0  .290   0   0   0-0     89   9   0 1.000
Freed, Amanda.......  .200   6-1      5   1   1   1   0   0   1    2  .400   0   0   0   0  .200   0   0   0-0      0   0   0  .000
Finch, Jennie.......  .125   6-6     16   2   2   1   0   0   1    3  .188   2   0   5   0  .222   0   1   0-0     22   2   1  .960

Totals..............  .337  11-11   288  71  97  12   1  11  61  144  .500  27   3  35   0  .397   2   4  12-14   198  58   7  .973
Opponents...........  .117  11-11   222   7  26   2   1   1   6   33  .149   9   4 101   0  .166   0   2   2-4    183  76  24  .915

LOB - Team (70), Opp (32). DPs turned - Team (2), Opp (1). IBB - Team (2), Nuveman 1, Bustos 1.

(All games Sorted by Earned run avg)

Player                 ERA   W-L   APP  GS  CG SHO/CBO SV    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  2B  3B  HR   AB B/Avg   WP HBP  BK  SFA SHA

Hollowell, Alicia...  0.00   1-0     1   1   1   1/0    0   5.0   1   0   0   0   6   0   0   0   16  .063    0   0   0    0   0
Abbott, Monica......  0.00   1-0     1   1   1   1/0    0   4.0   3   0   0   1   5   0   0   0   15  .200    0   0   0    0   0
Osterman,Cat........  0.66   6-0     6   6   6   3/0    0  41.0  15   4   3   8  70   1   1   1  136  .110    0   1   0    0   0
Southern, Jamie.....  1.29   1-0     2   1   1   1/0    0   7.0   3   1   1   0  11   1   0   0   27  .111    0   0   0    0   1
Finch, Jennie.......  2.00   1-1     2   2   1   1/0    0   9.0   4   2   2   0   9   0   0   0   28  .143    0   3   0    0   1

Totals..............  0.82  10-1    11  11  10   7/0    0  66.0  26   7   6   9 101   2   1   1  222  .117    0   4   0    0   2
Opponents...........  7.67   1-10   11  11   1   0/0    0  61.0  97  71  52  27  35  12   1  11  288  .337    6   3   0    2   4

PB - Team (0), Opp (2). Pickoffs - Team (3), Nuveman 3. SBA/ATT - Nuveman (2-4), Osterman (1-2), Southern (1-1), Abbott
(0-1).


2006 World Championship
Overall Statistics for TEAM USA (as of Sep 05, 2006)
(All games Sorted by Fielding pct)

 Player                   C   PO   A   E   FLD%  DPs  SBA CSB   SBA%   PB  CI

 Nuveman, Stacey.....    98   89   9   0  1.000    0    2   2   .500    0   0
 Topping, Jenny......    21   20   1   0  1.000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Galindo, Vicky......     9    7   2   0  1.000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Osterman,Cat........     8    1   7   0  1.000    0    1   1   .500    0   0
 Berg, Laura.........     5    5   0   0  1.000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Lowe, Caitlin.......     4    4   0   0  1.000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Mendoza, Jessica....     4    4   0   0  1.000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Abbott, Monica......     1    0   1   0  1.000    0    0   1   .000    0   0
 Flowers, Tairia.....    28   23   4   1   .964    1    0   0    ---    0   0
 Finch, Jennie.......    25   22   2   1   .960    1    0   0    ---    0   0
 Jung, Lovie.........    22   13   8   1   .955    1    0   0    ---    0   0
 Duran, Andrea.......    13    2  10   1   .923    1    0   0    ---    0   0
 Watley, Natasha.....    22    8  12   2   .909    2    0   0    ---    0   0
 Southern, Jamie.....     3    0   2   1   .667    0    1   0  1.000    0   0
 Hollowell, Alicia...     0    0   0   0   .000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Freed, Amanda.......     0    0   0   0   .000    0    0   0    ---    0   0
 Bustos, Crystl......     0    0   0   0   .000    0    0   0    ---    0   0

 Totals..............   263  198  58   7   .973    2    2   2   .500    0   0
 Opponents...........   283  183  76  24   .915    1   12   2   .857    2   0

TEAM USA vs Japan (Sep 05, 2006)

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• Box score
• Play-by-Play

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Box Score

                            2006 World Championship
                               TEAM USA vs Japan
                Sep 05, 2006 at Beijing, China (Fengtai Stadium)

TEAM USA 3 (10-1)

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
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Lowe, Caitlin rf.........  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
 Topping, Jenny ph.......  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
Watley, Natasha ss.......  4  1  1  0   0  0  0  1   2
Mendoza, Jessica lf......  3  1  2  2   0  1  0  0   0
Bustos, Crystl dh........  3  1  2  1   0  0  0  0   0
Nuveman, Stacey c........  3  0  0  0   0  1 14  1   0
Duran, Andrea 3b.........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   2
Finch, Jennie 1b.........  3  0  1  0   0  1  4  0   0
Jung, Lovie 2b...........  3  0  1  0   0  1  2  1   0
Berg, Laura cf...........  2  0  1  0   0  1  1  0   0
Osterman,Cat p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 28  3  9  3   0  6 21  5   5

Japan 0 (9-1)

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
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Uenishi 2b...............  3  0  0  0   0  1  1  2   0
Naito ss.................  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  6   0
Yamada cf................  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
Mabuchi lf...............  3  0  0  0   0  3  1  0   1
Ito 1b...................  2  0  0  0   0  1 10  0   0
Mishina dh...............  2  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
Hirose 3b................  1  0  0  0   1  1  0  2   0
Inui c...................  1  0  0  0   0  1  6  0   0
 Tanaka ph...............  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 Suzuki c................  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Karino rf................  2  0  0  0   0  2  2  1   0
Ueno p...................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 Masubuchi p.............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 21  0  1  0   1 14 21 12   1

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
TEAM USA............ 000 003 0 -  3  9  0
Japan............... 000 000 0 -  0  1  0
-----------------------------------------

LOB - TEAM USA 5; Japan 1. HR - Mendoza(5); Bustos(2). SH - Berg(1).

TEAM USA               IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Osterman,Cat........  7.0  1  0  0  1 14 21 22

Japan                  IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Ueno................  6.0  6  3  3  0  6 23 24
Masubuchi...........  1.0  3  0  0  0  0  5  5

Win - Osterman (6-0).  Loss - Ueno (4-1).  Save - None.
Umpires -
Start: 7:00 pm   Time: 1:50   Attendance:
Game notes:
Championship Game
Game: WCGAME11

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Play-by-Play

                            2006 World Championship
                        TEAM USA vs Japan - Play-by-Play
                Sep 05, 2006 at Beijing, China (Fengtai Stadium)


Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
TEAM USA............ 000 003 0 -  3  9  0
Japan............... 000 000 0 -  0  1  0
-----------------------------------------

TEAM USA starters: 26/rf Lowe; 29/ss Watley; 2/lf Mendoza; 6/dh Bustos; 33/c
Nuveman; 12/3b Duran; 27/1b Finch; 3/2b Jung; 44/cf Berg; 8/p Osterman;
Japan starters: 15/2b Uenishi; 6/ss Naito; 11/cf Yamada; 25/lf Mabuchi; 10/1b
Ito; 4/dh Mishina; 8/3b Hirose; 23/c Inui; 5/rf Karino; 17/p Ueno;

TEAM USA 1st - Lowe grounded out to 3b. Watley grounded out to ss.
Mendoza struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 1st - Uenishi struck out swinging. Naito grounded out to p. Yamada
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

TEAM USA 2nd - Bustos grounded out to 2b. Nuveman grounded out to ss.
Duran flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 2nd - Mabuchi struck out looking. Ito grounded out to p. Mishina
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

TEAM USA 3rd - Finch singled up the middle. Jung struck out looking.
Berg grounded out to ss, SAC; Finch advanced to second. Lowe out at first ss to
rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Japan 3rd - Hirose walked. Hirose out at second c to 2b, picked off.
Inui struck out swinging. Karino struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.

TEAM USA 4th - Watley grounded out to ss. Mendoza singled down the lf
line. Bustos singled to center field; Mendoza advanced to second. Nuveman
popped up to 2b. Duran struck out swinging. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.

Japan 4th - Uenishi flied out to cf. Naito singled to center field.
Yamada popped up to 2b. Mabuchi struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.

TEAM USA 5th - Finch struck out swinging. Jung grounded out to 2b. Berg
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 5th - Ito struck out looking. Mishina struck out swinging. Hirose
struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

TEAM USA 6th - Lowe out at first p to rf. Watley singled, bunt. Mendoza
homered to right field, 2 RBI; Watley scored. Bustos homered to left field,
RBI. Nuveman struck out looking. Duran grounded out to 1b unassisted. 3
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 6th - Tanaka pinch hit for Inui. Tanaka struck out swinging.
Karino struck out swinging. Uenishi grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.

TEAM USA 7th - Inui to c for Tanaka. Suzuki to c for Inui. Masubuchi to
p for Ueno. Finch grounded out to 3b. Jung singled to center field. Berg
singled to right field; Jung advanced to second. Topping pinch hit for Lowe.
Topping singled; Berg advanced to third; Jung advanced to third, out at home rf
to c. Lowe to rf for Topping. Watley grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.

Japan 7th - Naito struck out swinging. Yamada struck out swinging.
Mabuchi struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.