PAN AM SATURDAY

 

USA Annihiliates Netherlands Antilles

The USA Junior Women’s National Team annihilated Netherlands Antilles 21-0 in three innings Saturday at the Pan American games in Hermosillo , Mexico .  This was the first pool game of the qualifying tournament for both teams.

 

The USA scored 7 runs in the 1st; 9 runs in the 2nd; and 5 runs in the 3rd.  When the home team NA failed to score in the bottom of the 3rd, the game was ended on a mercy rule.

 

The USA , whiich racked up 13 hits against three NA pitchers, started Alicia Hollowell, who struck out five of the 10 batters she faced.  A runner reached in the 3rd on a fielding error at first base.

 

Seven runs scored in the 1st on just two hits.  With one out, Norelle Dickson walked, followed by Jodie Legaspi’s single.  Christina Clark was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Lauren Lappin walked to force in the first run.  Mallorie Lenn was hit by a pitch to force in the second run.  After a fielder’s choice which created the second out, Kristin Vesely’s flyball was dropped in center field, two runs scoring.  Tina Boutelle walked to reload the bases, and Caitlin Lowe drove in two more runs with a slap hit to right field.

 

After NA went down in order in the bottom of the 1st, Legaspi led off the 2nd with a single to left.  Clark reached on an error in left, and Lappin hit an rbi single to center.  Lenn reached on an error, a run scoring; then Anna Beardman hit an rbi single to left.  Vesely reached on an error, and Tina Boutelle hit an rbi single to right.  NA finally got two infield outs, but Legaspi’s deep fly ball to center was misplayed, and two more runs scored.  Clark and Lappin hit back-to-back doubles to drive in the 8th and 9th runs of the inning.

 

Hollowell, with one K in the first, struck out the first two batters in the 2nd, the third batter flying out to right.

 

Back came the USA , substituting freely.  Kristie Fox walked to start the 3rd; but was retired on Stephanie Van Brakle’s fielder’s choice. Linda Secka slapped a bloop single to center, one run scoring.  Emily Zaplatosch drove in a run with a single to right; Monica Abbott drove in another run with another single to right.  With three runs in, Clark socked a shot over the left-center field fence, to push the score to 21-0.

 

In the 3rd, the first NA batter ground out to 2nd – no balls left the infield – and, after the error at 1st, Hollowell struck out the last two batters.

 

The USA plays Argentina on Monday, at 4:30 pm .  These teams were originally scheduled to play this afternoon, but Argentina finally arrived at 2am Saturday.  The schedule as first changed to have the USA play Canada in an exhibition game at 2pm , but, with Argentina ’s arrival, the decision was made to have the USA play NA.

 

The USA plays Guatemala at 2pm Tuesday, Mexico at 730pm Wednesday, and plays Jamaica and Canada on Thursday, to close out the pool schedule.

 

Canada whalloped that young Guatemala team, 15-0, in the first game Saturday.  More details to come tonight, along with reports on the games later today between Argentina and Jamaica , and Mexico and Jamaica .

 

We will also provide a complete schedule for the pool games.

 

Aruba has dropped out of the tournament, leaving 7 teams to compete for 5 berths to the Junior Olympic World Championships in China in September 2003.

 

End SPY Report

 

 

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