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USA Shuts out University of the Pacific, 8-0
By Holly Krivokapich // USA Softball // February 22, 2008
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The USA Softball Women’s National Team put up another win in the column with an 8-0 shutout over the University of the Pacific in its opening game of the Palm Springs Classic. Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.) led the team with three RBI off of one shot, a homerun to left center field.
Pacific struck first in the second inning with back to back singles by Nicole Matson and Briana Santos off starting pitcher Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, Calif.). However a 6-4-3 double play cleared the bases leaving the game scoreless.
The team strung together five hits and capitalized on two errors to take a 6-0 lead in the third inning. The inning was highlighted by a RBI double by Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.) and a three-RBI homerun by Duran that went around 280 feet out of the park.
Alicia Hollowell (Suisun, Calif.) came in at the top of the fourth, working two innings while her offense put up a run in the fourth off a solo homerun by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) and a run in the fifth when Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.) blasted a homerun that cleared the right field fence.
Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.) entered the game in the sixth, keeping all Pacific batters off the bases with strikeouts. Fernandez earned the win with 3.0 innings pitched and four strikeouts. Due to exhibition guidelines, the game was called after the top of the sixth.
The team will square off with an All-Star team tomorrow at 10:30 p.m./CT. Be sure to check out www.usasoftball.com for complete coverage of this event including live stats. Also check out the new video feature on usasoftball.com with player interviews under the roster section on the Bound 4 Beijing page.
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