Teenager helps U.S. win Softball Cup title

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

In the past week, Catherine Osterman has stifled the Olympic gold medalists, shut out the silver medalists and, yesterday, one-hit China to help the United States win the inaugural U.S. Cup.

Catherine Osterman, 18, struck out nine in the U.S. Softball Cup gold-medal game against China. The only hit she allowed was a bunt single in the fourth inning. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

With the precocious Osterman nearly perfect, the U.S. beat China, 4-0, before 501 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The 18-year-old from Katy, Texas, struck out nine in the gold-medal game.

Li Lin's brilliant bunt in the fourth was China's only hit. Chunfang Zhang's two flies to center were the only balls to reach the outfield. Beyond that, Osterman was in complete control. Her drop, rise, curve and change-up pitches baffled China, which has six Olympians on its roster.

"At 18, it's pretty evident she's got all the potential in the world," said catcher Stacey Nuveman, the only Olympian on this U.S. team. "The way she threw against these teams this weekend and against the gold medalists (U.S. Gold team) last Sunday ... she shut them down.

"You've got to do it consistently before you can be put on a certain level. Lisa (Fernandez) and Michelle (Smith) have been doing it for years and that's why they're 'legends.' But if this is the beginning, it's very exciting to think about what's in store for the world down the road, and the USA also."

Osterman got more support than she needed 15 minutes into the final. The U.S. scored four unearned runs in the second. It had help, as China's defense self-destructed much as it had Friday, when the Americans scored four in the final inning.

Amanda Freed led off with a single off the second baseman. An out later, Lizzy Lemire walked and Toni Mascarenas singled to load the bases. Lovieanne Jung bounced to second and Freed beat the wide throw home. Natasha Watley smashed a ball off the first baseman to bring in two more unearned runs and Nicole Giordano's single scored Jung.

Osterman, headed to the University of Texas in the fall, felt she pitched better in Thursday's three-hitter against Japan.

"The inning we scored today I went down and pitched," she said. "Then I felt a lot better. The spins were tighter and everything was clicking again. Having a four-run lead had a lot to do with it."

In this four-day tournament, the U.S. outscored opponents 12-1. The run was unearned as its three pitchers allowed just 11 hits and struck out 41 — in part because this collegiate-dominated team is coming off its NCAA season, where the mound is 43 feet from the plate, not the 40 used internationally.

"We have a good group," U.S. coach Jay Miller said. "They work hard to get better. These guys are all trying to make an Olympic team. They've got a little fire in their belly. They've done a good job coming together as a team in a short amount of time."

Earlier, Kelly Hardie pitched a four-hitter to help Australia claim the bronze medal, 1-0 over Olympic silver medalist Japan. Both teams finished 1-3. It took four days, but Australia finally got a clutch hit, an RBI single by captain Peta Edebone in the sixth inning.

Each of Japan's four pitchers — two are 18 years old — allowed just one run in the tournament, but its batters were shut out three times. Australia finished the tournament with a .182 batting average, and three earned runs.

Gold Medal Game

China 000 000 0—0 1 3

USA 040 000 X—4 5 0

Lixia Zhang and Jian Xu. Catherine Osterman and Stacey Nuveman, Lindsey Collins. WP—Osterman. LP—Zhang.

Leading Hitters: USA—Tairia Mims double.

Third Place Game

Australia 000 001 0—1 5 0

Japan 000 000 0—0 4 1

Kelly Hardie and Marissa Carpadios. Ayako Yamaguchi and Miyo Yamada. WP—Hardie. LP—Yamaguchi.

Leading Hitters: Australia—Simmone Morrow 2-3; Peta Edebone 2-3, double. Japan—Emi Naito double; Kazue Ito 2-3, double.

SHORT HOPS: USA Softball plans to bring this tournament back to Hawai'i next year. It already has commitments from New Zealand and Canada, and hopes to have this year's teams return. ... Australia's radar gun clocked former University of Hawai'i All-Americans Brooke Wilkins and Kelly Gentle at about 67 and 64 mph, respectively, at the Cup. Catherine Osterman's first pitch yesterday was about 66 mph — faster than anything she threw Thursday. ... Sally McCreedy, 36, Peta Edebone, 32, and Kelly Hardie, 31, are the oldest players on Australia's roster. They have 600 international appearances between them, with Edebone and McCreedy winning bronze medals in the last two Olympics, and Hardie getting a bronze in Sydney. ... Felicity Witt, a 20-game winner for the Wahine last season as a freshman, was supposed to make her national team debut for Australia at this tournament. Instead, Witt is in the midst of rehabilitation after suffering a stress fracture near the end of her collegiate season.