SOFTBALL: Team USA routs Arizona 16-0 in game one of Bound for Beijing Tour

For Immediate Release: 2/19/08 Team USA routs Arizona 16-0 in game one of Bound for Beijing Tour TUCSON, Ariz. --- The USA Softball Women's National team opened the Bound 4 Beijing tour on Tuesday evening in dominating fashion with 16-0 victory against the defending National Champion University of Arizona Wildcats. A crowd of 2,832 fans at Hillenbrand stadium watched the Red, White and Blue tally 15 hits including four home runs. Starting pitcher Alicia Hollowell (Suisun, Calif.) earned the win for Team USA pitching two innings earning three strikeouts. For the Wildcats, whose offense scattered four hits, right-handed pitcher Taryne Mowatt earned the lost."It was good to finally get on the field tonight,"said USA Softball head coach Mike Candrea."We did some things right but it's a long tour and we have a lot to work on as we get ready for August. It was great to be here in Tucson and it was an emotional night for me. This is a hard game to play and I am glad it's over."Five members of Team USA saw multi-hit performances as they were led by 2004 gold medalist Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) who was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Time was split in the circle with Hollowell, Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.), and Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) each seeing two innings. Rookie Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) closed the game striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh to close the game."Our pitchers did well tonight and it was good to get them innings,"said Candrea."Hollowell was nervous but held her own, Finch did well hitting her spots and Osterman and Abbott are always tough especially to the left-handed hitters. I was proud of each of them."The Wildcats put a runner in scoring position early when Brittany Lastrapes drove a stand up double off the left field fence in the bottom of the first. With no outs, K'Lee Arredondo put a single to right field to put runners on the corners. But with back to back fly outs to Arizona alum Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) and a strikeout from Hollowell the U.S. escaped the threat allowing no runs. Third baseman Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) put the Red, White and Blue on the board in the second inning with a solo home run to centerfield. A base hit down the right field line from Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) looked promising for the U.S. to add some insurance runs, but Arizona pitching and defense held the U.S. to just a 1-0 lead after two innings. The U.S. bats came alive in the top of the fourth inning scoring two insurance runs. A lead off walk from Jung followed by an Arizona throwing error put runners aboard before Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) ripped a two RBI triple down the left field line to push the lead to 3-0. Three more runs in the fifth inning for Team USA opened up the game thanks to a single from Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.), a double from Jenny Topping (Whittier, Calif.), and a series of errors from the Wildcats. Mendoza pushed the U.S. lead to 7-0 in the sixth inning with a line drive solo home run to centerfield. The power continued for Team USA in the top of the seventh, combining for nine runs on seven hits and two U of A errors. Highlighting the inning was a grand slam from Tucson native Flowers and a three-run home run from centerfielder Lowe. Up next Team USA will bus to Palm Springs, Calif. On Wednesday as they begin competition in the Palm Springs Classic on Thursday evening. About USA Softball USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men's, Women's, Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of the only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won eight World Championship titles including the last six consecutive as well as claimed two World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit www.usasoftball.com

Tags: Alicia Hollowell, Andrea Duran, Caitlin Lowe, Jenny Topping, Jessica Mendoza, Monica Abbott, Natasha Watley, Tairia Flowers