USA Softball Tested Again in Seven Inning Victory Over the Aussies

SURREY, B.C. – A run in the first and a run in the seventh, backed by a 15-strikeout performance by Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) was enough for USA Softball to take a 2-0 victory over Australia at the Canada Cup in Surrey, B.C. Highlighting the day was the announcement of Alissa Haber (Newark, Calif.) and Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) as members of the 2009 Canada Cup All-Tournament team for their pool play performance. 

For the second-straight game Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) scored the first run of the game for the team after leading off with a single to right field. Lowe scored off a single by the other Kaitlin, Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif.) for the U.S. to take a first-inning 1-0 lead.

Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) made her fourth appearance and third start of the Canada Cup. She allowed a single in the first but went on to retire 15 batters via a strikeout, issued one walk and allowed two hits.
“I felt really good out there. (Lauren) Lappin and I were able to get into a rhythm early which was nice. I just did the best I could to keep them from scoring and the rest of the team did what they could to get some runs on the board,” said Osterman. “The team did well today and I am just happy to contribute and keep the momentum going.”

Through the next five innings the team would turn in two more hits by Cochran and Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) but runners would be left stranded. In the top of the seventh, Haber led off with a single to shortstop, advancing to second on a sac bunt by Chelsea Bramlett (Cordova, Tenn.) and to third on a groundout by Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.). An RBI single by Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.) gave the team the insurance run they needed heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Osterman allowed a hit to the leadoff hitter in the seventh but a groundout and two strikeouts left the runner stranded. 

“Obviously a dominate performance by Cat (Osterman). She kept them off balance all game. We put a run up in the first and that was all she needed. It was good to get an insurance run in the seventh. We struggled with the innings in between but we kept fighting and battling, which is a good sign with a young team. Hopefully we will make some adjustments going forward and get more production out of the offense.” 
The team will continue play tomorrow at the Canada Cup with a 8:30 p.m./PT matchup against the winner of the TFS International/Australia Game. Continue to check out www.usasoftball.com for up to date information on Team USA at the Canada Cup. 

About ASA 
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 83 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/. 

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 visithttp://www.usasoftball.com/.