USA Softball blasts by Longstreth with 15-0 shutout

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- Moving to 30-1 on the KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour, the USA Softball Women’s National team powered past the Longstreth Women’s Softball team 15-0 on Thursday evening at Bowman Field.  Home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, 4,312 fans packed the Frontier League stadium to watch U.S. winning pitcher Jennie Finch (La  Mirada, Calif.) earn her seventh win of the tour recording a tour-high 19 strikeouts.  Leading the box score offensively was catcher Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) who connected on two home runs and a triple going 3-for-3 with three RBI.

“I walked at my first at bat so I got to see a lot of pitches,” said Lappin.  “I was seeing the ball well and waiting for it to get deep and then my goal was to drive it.  I really felt good out there tonight and I was happy to execute for my team.”

The Longstreth Women’s Softball team was a combination of former collegiate players from the greater Williamsport area.

Jumping out early, the U.S put eight runs on the board in the first inning.   The one-two punch happened quick as lead off Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) reached on a Longstreth first baseman fielding error and Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) laced a single down the left field line.  RBI leader Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) then drove the second pitch of her at bat to clear the bases with a stand up double.

The two bagger struck again with the swing of Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) as she roped in an RBI double sending Mendoza home.  Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) then took the first pitch of her at bat and drove it high to left center clearing the 220 foot temporary fences for her 13^th home run of the tour.  Bustos scored on the homer giving the U.S. its fifth run of the inning.

The offensive barrage continued as the U.S. batted through the line up bringing Lowe back up to the plate.  Recording her 23^rd RBI of the tour, Lowe drove a single through the left side in her second at bat scoring Lappin who reached on a walk.  With a 6-0 lead, Watley then showed her power with her second triple of the tour plating Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.), who reached on an error, and Lowe for a large first inning lead.

Leading off the second inning, Bustos sent the ball soaring to right field with a solo home run for her 15^th home run of the tour.  But Longstreth held strong after the homer getting back-to-back outs before Lappin recorded her first triple of the tour.  Lappin would be left stranded however as Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.) lined out to second base to end the inning.

The pitching of Longstreth’s Amber Cowher and its team defense held the U.S. silent in the third and fourth innings.  

Longstreth saw its only runner in scoring position in the top of the fourth inning after Finch hit third baseman Alison Tagliaferri with a pitch and Kirsten Lazorka reached on a base hit blooper over Watley’s head.  Finch settled down, however, and ended the inning with a strikeout.

The home run ball led the fifth inning for the U.S. when Lappin belted a solo home run to left field putting the 10^th run on the scoreboard.  Galindo then roped her first double of the tour through the left side and later scored when Watley reached on a fielding error from Longstreth shortstop Amber Lazorka.  Mendoza then stepped up to the plate and ripped the ball clear over the centerfield fences for a solo home run and the 13-0 advantage.

Lappin was the cause of the final two runs the U.S. scored in the bottom of the sixth.  Pinch hitter Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) reached on a walk and was pinch run for by Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) who scored on a Lappin home run for the 15-0 eventual final.

The U.S. scored in all but two innings and along with Lappin was led by Watley who was 3-for-5 with two RBI and Mendoza who had a double and home run for four RBI.