SOFTBALL: Abbott records no-hitter as U.S. uses four home runs to blast past MAC All Stars 20-0

ASHLAND, Ohio --- In its 50th game of the KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour, the USA Softball Women's National team notched another victory with a 20 -0 shutout against the Mid-American All Stars at Brookside Park on Monday evening. Hurler Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) tossed her first seven-inning no-hit performance of the tour recording 15 strikeouts.

Leading the pack was Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) who was 3-for-3 with three RBI and Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) who was 3-for-3 as well. Catcher Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) recorded a team-high five RBI going 2-for-3.

"Tonight was a good performance," said Abbott. "I am always trying to work on my pitches to get them better and now I am already thinking about how to be better than tonight. I guess that is just the athlete in me."

The MAC All Stars consisted of players from the Mid-American Conference schools including Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Miami University, Kent State, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Ohio University, Toledo, and Akron.

Abbott retired five of the first eight All Star batters via the strikeout. The first All Star runner reached base in the top of the second inning after Brianna Robinson was hit by an Abbott pitch.

Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) inked the first hit of the night with a blast to centerfield for a two-out stand up double in the bottom of the first. She was left stranded by clean-up hitter Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) who grounded out to the shortstop.

The U.S. took the lead in the bottom of the third inning when Lovieanne Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) led the inning with a hard hit base hit back at the new All Star pitcher in Kyla Sullivan (Western Michigan). A perfect sacrifice bunt from first baseman Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.) moved Jung into scoring position before Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) poked a double to right center scoring Jung for the 1-0 lead. Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) then laid down a bunt for a single moving Watley to third when Mendoza laced the ball to the All Star first baseman for her second hit recording an RBI as Watley crossed home plate.

The strength and swing of Bustos then struck with two runners on board as the designated player drove a 3-2 pitch to left center for her 27th home run of the tour. With a 5-0 lead, catcher Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) made it 6-0 with a single to right center plating Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Springs, Fla.) who reached on a walk. Kretschman leads the team on the tour with 40 total walks.

The bottom of the third inning continued as Team USA pushed the game out of reach with a 9-0 advantage. The U.S. batted through the line up adding a seventh run of the inning from a Jung sacrifice flyout combined with a Watley RBI single scoring Nuveman. The final run of the inning was issued when Mendoza earned a walk with bases loaded and pinch runner Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) scored for the 9-0 lead.

The U.S. put two more runs on the scoreboard in the fourth inning thanks to a Finch two RBI single scoring Flowers and Kretschman.

With one swing of the bat, Mendoza added her third hit of the game in the fifth with a solo home run to right center for her 16th of the tour. The U.S. added three more runs on the home run ball again from Nuveman who jacked a homer to right field; her sixth of the tour.

Five more runs were tallied from the Red, White and Blue in the bottom of the sixth inning due to a Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) two-run home run to right field combined with a two RBI Jung single and a run walked in by the All Star pitcher.

The team will fly to Texas on Tuesday for competition in Killeen on Wednesday and Midland on Saturday. Be sure to log on to www.usasoftball.com for results and updates!