UPDATE October 7, 2003

COMMITMENTS

Lauren Nydam, P, Gordon’s Panthers, to Stanford

Jessica Runge, OC Batbusters (Haning) to UCLA

Megan McDonald, AZ Outlaws, to San Diego State

Jordan Praytor 3B, Glacier NW Gold to Univ. of Alabama

Whitney Buckmon, SS, GA Elite, to Florida State

Jamie Van Dijk, C, CA Cruisers, to Boston College

Brittany Murphy, CF, OC Batbusters (Haning) to Long Island University

Megan Rhodes, P, Brentwood Blues, to University of Tennessee
Shannon Doepking, C/SS, So Cal Stealth, to University of Tennessee

Jennifer Corbin, 2nd Base, SS, Georgia Elite Gold, to the University of Georgia .

Victoria Sanders, Centerfield , Georgia Elite Gold to the University of Georgia

Charity Senas - San Diego Renegades Gold - Univeristy of Hawaii Hilo

REPORT ON JUNIOR WORLD SCRIMMAGE

Well, sort of a report.  We got varying descriptions and offer them more or less verbatim, in addition to the official ASA press release, just to show the contrast in what people see.

Report #1.  (ASA)

For Immediate Release: 10/6/03

USA Junior Women capture two victories over San Diego Renegades in exhibition play

ESCONDIDO, CA – The USA Junior Women’s National team notched two victories in exhibition play on Monday evening shutting out the 18-under Gold San Diego Renegades.  Recording a 13-0 triumph in game one and 10-0 victory in game two, the team combined for 34 hits and allowed just three hits for the night.  Preparing for the ISF Junior World Championships October 12-20, the USA Women will continue training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista , CA before traveling to Nanjing , China on October 9 for the 14 nation tournament. 

In game one, the USA attacked the plate combining for 22 hits and 13 runs thanks to the offense of Norrelle Dickson ( Orange , CA ).  Dickson led the team going 4-for-6 with two RBI.  Jodie Legaspi ( Garden Grove , CA ) and Desiree Williams ( Tucson , AZ ) each added three hits while Caitlin Lowe ( Tustin , CA ) and Caitlin Benyi ( Scottsdale , AZ ) connected on two hits apiece.

From the circle, the Red, White and Blue allowed just two hits in the scheduled nine innings. exhibition due to the efforts of pitchers Brianne McGowan (Reno, NV) and Meagan Denny (Crowley, TX).  McGowan started the game completing five innings allowing one hit and six strikeouts before Denny entered in the sixth fanning 10 of the 13 batters she faced.

A bottom of the sixth inning six run rally pushed the USA Women to a 10-0 margin of victory in game two of the exhibition match up.  Recording 12 hits, the junior National squad was led by Jessica Gilmore (Ft. Walton Beach, FL) who finished 4-for-4 with three RBI highlighted by a two-run homerun to left field.  Pitcher Monica Abbott ( Salinas , CA ) went 2-for-2 at the plate while tossing 3.1 innings and recording eight strikeouts.   

“I really thought the girls did a great job tonight,” head coach Pam Newton said.  “Things we have worked on in the last couple of days really came together.  They did great on their first and third situations and our base running was fantastic.  We were aggressive at the plate and bunted well.  We executed our fun plays with squeezes, steals and hit and runs.  All in all it was a great day and a good preparation for us.”

 To follow the Junior Women’s team at the World Championship October 12-20 in Nanjing , China log on to www.usasoftball.com for complete results, stats and updates.

Report #2 (Andy Anderson, Renegade Coach) The ASA publicist said she would email you results. They clocked us like I knew they would but hey they are one heck of a team. Lots of speed, great bats and pitching.  My own few comments:

Denny throws hard but a bit wild (in this game).  Monica throws hard and her rise is hard to lay off but she tends to leave the ball over the plate now and then. McGowan pitched the best of the 4 we faced, had lots of movement.  Dodd pitched well but her forte was at SS. She made incredible plays. I think she is the best athlete on the team period. No way to pitch to her either.  Dickenson at 3B is unbeatable and Lowe in the lead off spot is a tough out.

All in all we had fun; they got a tune up but having played Taipei I can tell you this team will run over them

Report #3 (A parent)  Everything went well last night in Escondido .  Breanne McGowan pitched most of the first game (which) seemed to go about 14 or 15 innings (ASA recorded nine). I believe she only gave up one hit but I may be mistaken.  Meagan Denny came in at the end and pitched 4 or 5 innings.  I think she only gave up one hit also. The second game went about 8 or 9 innings with Monica Abbott starting.  She gave up a triple to right field when the fielder (I couldn't tell who it was) dove for the ball and it got by her.  At that point they brought Lisa Dodd and Jaisa
Creps in.  Lisa got the batter to ground back to her and she shoveled to Jaisa for the tag out at the plate.  That was as close as the Renegades got to scoring all evening.  USA scored at will all night.  Gilmore had an inside the park home run.  That young lady is fast.  They played another 3 or 4 innings and called it a night at about 10:00 . I'm sorry that I didn't take notes about what was going on so I could give you a better description of the action.  About the best I can tell you is that the team looked good but Pam Newton was switching people into a lot of positions to see what she had so it was hard for them to really gel.  They are really good and it showed playing the
Renegades.  Taryne Mowatt (OC Batbusters) pitched for the Renegades and looked pretty good.  Her defense really let her down (two unearned runs) or she would have had a great outing. 

WHITNEY BUCKMON

Revisiting Boulder .  While I was struggling to maintain focus after getting hit in the temple by a foul ball, Whitney, showing the resiliency of youth after being hit in the face with a pitch, and showing her speed, stole second.  Playing for GA Elite, and now just committed to Florida State , Whitney hit a triple her next at bat.  Which reminds me: the Boulder City Council took no action at its two meetings in September on screens.

YOU WILL LAUGH

Subject: Talking Dog

A guy sees a sign in front of a house:

"Talking Dog for Sale ."

He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy
goes into the backyard and sees a black mutt just sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Sure do." the dog replies.

"So, what's your story?"

The dog looks up and says, "Well, I discovered my gift of talking pretty
young and I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies eight years
running. "The jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger and I wanted to settle down. So I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in.  I uncovered some incredible dealings there and was awarded a batch of medals. "Had a wife, a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the
dog.

The owner says, "Ten dollars."

The guy says, "This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so
cheap?"

"Cause he's a liar.  He didn't do any of that shit."     
   

DEARLY BELOVED

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long
>  weekend to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. They planned
>  to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20
>  years ago. Because both had jobs they found it difficult
>  coordinating their travel
>  schedules. It was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on a
>  Thursday, and his wife would follow him the next day. Upon arriving as
>  planned, the husband checked into the hotel. In his room there was a
>  computer so he decided to send his wife an e-mail back in Minneapolis .
>  However, he accidentally left out one letter in her address, and sent
>  the e-mail, without realizing his error. In Houston , a widow had just
>  returned from her husband's funeral. The dearly departed was a
>  minister of many years who had been called home to glory following a
>  heart attack. The widow checked her e-mail, expecting messages from
>  relatives and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted.
>  The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor,
>  and saw the computer screen which read:
>
>  To: My Loving Wife
>  Subject: I've arrived.
>  I know you are surprised to hear from me. They have computers here
>  now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I've
>  just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been
>  prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you
>  then!  Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
>
>  P.S. Sure is hot down here.

END 

Spy Softball Home Page