PAN AM GAMES

Dateline: Hermosillo , Mexico , December 12.

The inaugural Pan American Softball Championship for Girls holds its opening ceremonies Friday, December 13, in Hermosillo , Mexico .  Immediately following the ceremonies, the host Mexican team will play Guatemala .

Brackets will be drawn Friday morning for the eight teams: USA , Canada , Mexico , Guatemala , Jamaica , Aruba , Netherlands Antilles , and Argentina .  Venezuela and Cuba have reportedly dropped out.  Five berths to the 2003 Junior Olympics will be awarded in this tournament, which concludes Saturday, December 21.

Team USA looked very sharp in an eight-inning practice game, defeating Mexico 8-0 as five USA pitchers combined for a no-hitter, marred only by lead-off walks in the 7^th and 8^th.  Monica Abbott, Stephanie van Brakle, and Alicia Hollowell  pitched two innings each, while Laura Ferreria and Lisa Dodd each pitched one inning.    Abbott struck out the side in the 5^th; Hollowell performed the same feat in the 6^th.  USA pitchers notched 14 Ks.

Jodi Legaspi had the big bat, driving in 4 of the 8 USA runs with a single and double.  Christina Clark had 2 rbi with a single and double; Emily Zaplatosch and Tina Boutelle had the other rbi.  Caitlin Lowe reached base 3 times as leadoff batter: a single, hit by a pitch, and a walk.  Norelle Dickson had two singles and a walk.  Lauren Lappin doubled while Ferreira, Linda Secka and Abbott singled.  USA had 11 hits.  Other USA players are Kristin Vesely, Mallorie Lenn, and Kristie Fox.

The trip?  You want to know about the trip?  The team’s bus has run out of gas; is never on  time; and someone stole the battery.  Americans who drove down experienced a delay at the immigration station south of Nogales of as much as 90 minutes while making the rounds of three different buildings to buy permits – and paid upwards of $300 US for special Mexican insurance (with incredible deductibles).  You can receive cell phone calls if you are an AT&T subscriber but you can’t call out unless you buy a card.  You can connect to AOL but there is a special charge. Federal Highway 15 has a posted speed of 60-80 kmh, and people drive 90-100 mph.  But, their diminusha velocitad signs are serious warnings; long stretches where you can light the back burners, then you come into sudden double curves. Lots of crosses and little basilica replicas honoring the dead attest to the fact that this is a deadly piece of road.  On the other hand, the hotels are good, the softball facilities are quite acceptable (no press box), and you can get a mammoth T-bone steak for $10 at a good restaurant.

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