AKRON, Ohio --- It was a come from behind effort for Team USA on Tuesday night as they defeated the NPF Akron Racers 6-2 with a seventh-inning victory. Tied at 2-2, Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Springs, Fla.) drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh before Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) belted a three-run blast to left field for the eventual victory. The home run marked her 23rd of the tour as the U.S. moved to 57-1 in KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour action.

“Well when I was in the on deck circle, I was confident Kelly would get the RBI to take the lead,” said Duran. “So my thoughts were that it was my job to break open the game and give us some insurance runs heading into the bottom of the seventh.”

Winning pitcher Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) (16-0) gave up two earned runs in the first inning but settled down tossing the complete game victory recording 10 strikeouts.

The third largest tour attendance at 6,256, the start of the game was a re-match between Akron’s Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech) who was responsible for Team USA’s only loss on the tour dating back to March 26 in Oklahoma City. The Virginia Tech alum made history with a no-hit 1-0 victory against Team USA breaking a 185-game pre-Olympic tour win streak for the U.S.

The Racers were the first to put runs on the board right away in the first inning taking a 2-0 advantage. The U.S. had not allowed a run in 15 contests dating back to June 7 in the 9-5 victory against Olympic opponent Canada. A lead off base hit through the left side from Veronica Wootson jumped start the Racers and the hometown crowd. The first out was recorded with a pop up from Norrelle Dickson before Wootson stole second advancing into scoring position. It was then Racer home run leader Kristen Butler who belted a 1-1 pitch over the left field fences giving the Racers an early 2-0 advantage.

Tincher held the U.S. offense through two innings before catcher Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) roped a base hit to centerfield in the third and advanced all the way to third base after a fielding error from Racer centerfielder Kim Hamilton. Bringing Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) to the plate, a ground ball to the shortstop forced a play at the plate were Lappin slid in and was called for the innings first out. The U.S. kept pushing when Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) earned a walk putting runners at first and second before Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) chopped a base hit to the right side scoring Jung for the 2-1 difference. But one run was all the U.S. would get as back-to-back strikeouts to Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) and Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) ended the top half of the third.

Akron threatened to score in the bottom of the third inning as Wootson, who reached after being hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and third on a stolen base. Bringing Butler back up to the plate, Abbott was solid retiring the final two batters via strikeout to end the threat.

New Racer pitcher Angel Shamblin entered in the top of the fourth inning as Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) quickly earned a base on balls before pinch runner Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.) entered the game. A sacrifice bunt from Kretschman advanced Galindo to second as Duran took a pitch off her side and was awarded first base. But the U.S. would leave the inning empty handed as a force out and foul out closed the inning with Akron ahead 2-1.

RBI leader Mendoza tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning with a RBI line drive base hit to right field scoring Flowers who was hit by a Shamblin pitch. Flowers previously advanced into scoring position with a groundout from Lowe.

As Abbott continued to hold the Racer bats, the U.S. had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the fifth with bases loaded. Shamblin issued a walk to Kretschman to lead the inning before Akron brought in relief pitcher Radara McHugh. Duran grounded out to third base moving Kretschman into scoring position before Lappin laid down a base hit bunt to put runners on the corners with one out. Jung then fouled out to the second baseman and Flowers popped up in what looked like the third out, but a catcher’s interference call kept Team USA alive with bases loaded. Watley, who recorded the first RBI of the game, then came up to the plate looking to tie the game, but a ground out to the shortstop left the runners stranded.

It then came down the top of the seventh inning for Team USA and the bats of Kretschman and Duran sealed the victory. An infield single and stolen base from Lowe started the momentum before Kretschman put a single up the middle cruising Lowe to home plate. With intentions to open the game, Duran certainly did sending a two-run blast to left field to push the lead to 6-2. Mendoza, who reached on a walk, and Kretschman scored on the homer.

The top of the seventh inning saw a three minute rain delay as showers quickly moved in and out.

India Chiles started the inning as a pinch hitter for the Racers and connected on a base hit, but Abbott held strong striking out the side to capture the victory.

With just two games left on the schedule, the U.S. will travel to Salem, Virginia on Wednesday before a match-up against the Salem All Stars on Thursday at 7 p.m. The U.S. will close out the KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour on Saturday night in Irvine, Calif. against Team Intensity with a game at 7:30 p.m. at Bill Barber Park.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. ---The USA Women’s National team added another victory along the KFC Bound 4 Beijing tour on Friday evening as they thumped the Midwest College All Stars 15-0 at Meador Park in front of 3,012 fans.

A 15-minute lighting delay halted the start of the game to 7:45 p.m. as the clouds brought in light rain showers during line-up introductions. The rain cleared at the start of the game as the U.S. moved on to win and improve to 55-1 on the tour.

Southpaw Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas)was remarkable tossing seven innings recording 17 strikeouts as she moved to a perfect 14-0 in tour action.

“I not only felt in control tonight with my pitches, but with my mental game,” said Osterman. “(Lauren) Lappin and I have really been working on taking steps forward and remaining positive throughout the game. I am really feeling right on course for the Olympics and am ready to go.”

From the plate, the U.S. used 18 hits to score 15 runs with 11 players tallying at least one hit. Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) and Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) led the way with three hits a piece while the long ball was ever so present as Mendoza, Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Springs, Fla.), Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) and Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) each added home runs to the stat sheet. Mendoza added four RBI on the night and Duran contributed three.

“Right now I feel like we are doing a good job and keeping a good mindset no matter the score,” said head coach Mike Candrea. “I was pleased with the team’s outing today and as we move closer to August we will continue to work on all aspects of our game.”

The U.S. opened the bottom of the first inning taking a 4-0 lead thanks to four RBI hits. Shortstop Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) used her wheels to earn an infield base hit before stealing second base advancing into scoring position. A flyout from Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) put an out on the board before RBI leader Mendoza roped her 23rd double of the tour scoring Watley for the first run. Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, Calif.) earned a walk before a sacrifice flyout from designated player Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) plated Lowe for the second run of the inning. Duran then doubled scoring Bustos before Lappin drove in the final run of the inning with a single to left field.

As Osterman continued to dominate the All Stars, the U.S. added seven more runs in the bottom of the second inning. The first two runs came off a Lowe double before Mendoza stroked her second double of the night scoring Lowe and Watley. Nuveman then inked her second RBI of the night with a single through the right side before Duran notched her 22nd home run of the tour with a two-run dinger. Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.) was responsible for the seventh run of the inning with a base hit to left field scoring Lappin who reached on a double.

The All Star bats came alive in the top of the third inning as Stephanie Ramsey (Bradley University) connected on a one-out hit through the left side. Ramsey moved into scoring position when leftfielder Katie McGeeney (Wichita State) roped a line drive off the glove of Osterman for the second hit of the game. Osterman settled down striking out the final batter for her seventh strikeout of the game.

A solo home run from Mendoza, her 23rd of the tour, was the lone run for the U.S. in the bottom of the third inning.

The All Stars were able to hold the U.S. to zero runs in the fourth before three runs off of home runs in the fifth posted a eventual 15-0 lead. Pinch hitter Kretschman blasted the long ball to left center for her ninth homer of the tour to start the inning. Two more runs were added thanks to a Flowers towering home run to centerfield, her ninth of the tour.

Osterman retired the side via strikeout on three occasions as the All Stars connected on just two hits in the game.

OKLAHOMA CITY--The USA Softball Women's National Team, which is seeking a fourth-consecutive gold medal next month in the Beijing Olympic Games, has fans worldwide.

One of them, Lt. Col. Clark D. Easter, HHC, 39 IBCT, recently had the U.S. flag flown over the Headquarters, Multi-National Corps-Iraq in honor of the team. The headquarters is located at Al Faw Palace, just west of Baghdad, Iraq.
The flag was then sent to the ASA National Office in Oklahoma City and arrived on June 30.

"I am pleased to have had this flag flown in your honor(U.S. National Team) for I know that my three daughters will be watching with a high degree of interest when you play," wrote Colonel Easter in the letter accompanying the flag. "We have been to all of the games of the last two years of the World Cup of Softball and have enjoyed it immensely. My daughters are 13, 14 and 19."

Although Christine, 19, no longer plays softball, 14-year-old Roxanne assists and is a scorekeeper for a fast pitch league, and 13-year-old Tiffany plays competitive fast pitch on a traveling team and plans to play college softball. Colonel Easter, who lives in Arkadelphia, Ark., also umpires and is president of a fast pitch league when not deployed.

"Good luck from my family and other personnel in the Middle East who support you and I look forward to watching you play."

Colonel Easter and the rest of the Easter family won't be the only ones watching with enthusiasm and anticipation as Team USA tries for a four-peat in Olympic softball.