Posted on: Monday, August 23, 2004
U.S. softball rolls to gold-medal game
Advertiser News Services
ATHENS, Greece — One win from gold. One shutout from perfection.
Associated Press "Every time we play the United States," Australian second baseman Fiona Crawford said, "everything seems to go wrong."
That's bad news for Australia, which beat Japan, 3-0, later in the day to get one more shot at the Americans in today's final. University of Hawai'i senior Stacey Porter went 0 for 3 in both games for Australia.
Everything has gone right for the U.S. team here. It has scored 46 runs and not given up one.
"They are playing," Australia coach Simon Roskvist said, "beautiful softball."
Lisa Fernandez, one of four three-time Olympians on the U.S. roster, threatened to fracture a few wrists and dislodge a few vertebrae with her devastating change-up, which she employed with teasing frequency. The Aussies hit the ball out of the infield just six times.
Fernandez also broke a scoreless tie with a run-scoring double in the fourth. Two innings later, Team USA used a walk, hit batter, three singles and a sacrifice fly to score three runs.
Japan beat China, 1-0, in eight innings to move into the bronze-medal game against Australia.
Associated Press and Athens2004.com contributed to this report.
The U.S. softball team, unbeaten, unscored upon and almost unbelievable, rolled to its eighth consecutive shutout yesterday, 5-0 over Australia, and into the gold-medal game.
United States pitcher Lisa Fernandez, left, is congratulated by teammate Kelly Kretschman after their victory over Australia.
