USA off to a 4-0 start at Pan Am Qualifier
11/28/2005

 

 

Guatemala City, Guatemala---The USA Softball National team is off to an impressive start, going 4-0, at the 2005 Pan Am/World qualifier. The team combined for 38 hits, outscoring opponents 39-1 and allowed only five hits in four games.

Team USA beat Venezuela 9-1 on Saturday to open play with Jamie Southern (Clovis, Calif.) starting on the mound, going three innings and giving up one hit. Amanda Freed (Cypress, Calif.) came in during the fourth inning, giving up one hit and one run. Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) was 1-1 with two RBI while Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) went 3-3 with one RBI. Venezuela’s lone score came in the top of the fifth off a bloop single to the outfield. Tairia Mims Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) earned a run after getting walked with bases loaded and Stacy Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) logged a RBI on a sacrifice. Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) turned in one RBI, going 1-2 with an intentional walk. The U.S. put up nine hits, while leaving six on base for their first win.

Sunday saw the U.S. put up two wins, 5-0 over Puerto Rico and 13-0 against El Salvador. After coming in the game in the fifth inning, Southern gave up no-hits striking out 7 of 9 batters she faced. Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich.) started the game, giving up two hits in four innings. The U.S. put up six hits while leaving four on base.

Against El Salvador Bustos displayed her awesome power by crushing two homeruns for six RBI to finish the game going 3-4. Nuveman was 1-3 with a homerun and Watley turned in two RBI in three at bats. Freed started the game giving up one hit in three innings while Alicia Hollowell (Suisun, Calif.) fanned five of six batters she face and allowed no hits.

The U.S. faced off with the Dominican Republic on Monday and cruised to a five innings 12-0 victory. Southern and Hollowell threw the first combined no-hitter of the qualifier with Southern throwing three innings and Hallowell two. Bustos turned in her second pair of homeruns of the tournament; with a third hit staying in the park by only a couple feet. Bustos’ hits contributed for seven of the team’s RBI.

Next up for Team USA is host Guatemala at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Nicaragua Wednesday at 2 p.m. Playoffs will begin Thursday at 7 p.m. with the finals set for 8 p.m. on Saturday.