SOFTBALL: USA Softball blasts by Longstreth with 15-0 shutout

For Immediate Release: 5/8/08 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 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 13th 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 23rd 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 15th 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. 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 pitching of Longstreth's Amber Cowher and its team defense held the U.S. silent in the third and fourth innings. The home run ball led the fifth inning for the U.S. when Lappin belted a solo home run to left field putting the 10th 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. Heading to Bowie, Maryland, the U.S. will travel on Friday before playing at the Baysox Stadium on Saturday afternoon against the defending champion NPF Washington Glory team. With over 8,000 fans expected to attend, the game will begin at 4 p.m. EST. 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 visit http://www.usasoftball.com/. About KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour The KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour is a 45-city nationwide pre-Olympic tour for the USA Softball Women's National team as they prepare to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Beginning in February, the tour reaches every corner of the country including 23 states while Team USA prepares with 62 total games. The tour consists of five consecutive weekly national televised games on ESPN2 in April and May along with two other bonus games plus four games slated for July that rounds out over 22 hours of original USA Softball branded programming on the ESPN family of networks. Along with the title sponsor, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), other national tour sponsors include Dermabond and Lumber Liquidators. About DERMABOND Adhesive DERMABOND Adhesive is a topical skin adhesive used by doctors in the O.R. and E.R. to close incisions from surgeries or wounds from injuries. DERMABOND Adhesive may not be right for all types of wounds such as those that are infected or wounds on the eyes, mouth, scalp or joints. Tell your doctor about any skin sensitivities. Your doctor will know if DERMABOND Adhesive is right for you. For more information go to DERMABOND.com.