+U.S. softball seeking gold again+
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By Doug Mittler
SportsTicker Contributing Writer
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - There will be no trip to Athens
for the United States baseball team, which was ousted in
stunning fashion during qualifying late last year.
But there still will be a dominant American Olympic squad that
makes use of gloves, bases, bats and balls.
Meet the United States softball team, which has been ranked No.
1 in the world for 18 consecutive years and has won Olympic gold
in each of the two Games the sport has been staged. The team
is talented and tough but also has a bit of sex appeal.
The Americans have suffered just five losses in international
competition since 1986 and will arrive in Athens with four
two-time gold medalists as well as some new faces. One of the
top pitchers on the team is Jennie Finch, who was named one of
"People" magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in May and makes
her Olympic debut.
"There definitely is pressure to win a third gold medal coming
into a program so dominant," said Finch, one of 10 first-time
Olympians on the roster. "Being No. 1 in the world for 18 years
is truly amazing. It's a great honor to be part of such a
tradition."
When the Americans open the eight-team round robin competition
August 14 against Italy, their primary obstacle might be a heavy
heart. The team will compete less than a month after the wife
of coach Mike Candrea died of complications from a brain
aneurysm.
Sue Candrea, 49, was traveling with the team on its pre-Olympic
tour when she was stricken.
"Sue was so excited about the upcoming Olympics and would want
me to continue on with our dream," Mike Candrea said. "Our
whole family is behind this decision and we know this is what
she would want us to do."
Candrea has made sure his team will be anything but complacent.
Last October in San Diego, he put his players through a Navy
SEALS training course known for its intense physical
conditioning.
Candrea knows that an upset similar to what happened to USA
Baseball is not impossible. It nearly happened in Sydney, where
the Americans lost consecutive games to Japan, China and
Australia before coming back to beat those same teams and win
the gold medal.
One of the staff's aces is 33-year-old Lisa Fernandez, who had
44 strikeouts and an 0.32 ERA at the Sydney Games and was
undefeated in pre-Olympic play. She also doubles as the cleanup
hitter and occasional infielder.
Finch, 23, is the NCAA record-holder for consecutive victories
with 60 and had a 0.29 ERA for Team USA in 2003. The striking
blonde has filled some of her free time with TV work.
The staff also includes lefthander Cat Osterman, the 2003 USA
Softball Collegiate Player of the Year at Texas who fired a
perfect game against Canada to win the Pan Am Games gold. Lori
Hariggan, another three-time Olympian, rounds out the rotation.
The top slugger is third baseman Crystl Bustos, who was hitting
in the .500 range in the pre-Olympic tournament. She led Team
USA with 11 homers in 2003 and hit three homers in the Sydney
Games.
Right fielder Kelly Kretschman was an alternate on the 2000 team
and hit .355 to lead the USA Elite Team to Canada Cup gold in
2003.
The stiffest competition from the Americans could come from
Japan, the silver medalist in Sydney, and Australia, which
earned a berth in Athens by winning the Asia/Oceania qualifier.
Australia won bronze in the 1996 and 2000 Games and returns
nine players from the Sydney squad, including sluggers Peta
Edebone and Natalie Titcume.
Two of the Americans' four losses in Olympic play have been to
Australia, one each in 1996 and 2000. The Aussies are led by
pitchers Tanya Harding - no, not that Tanya Harding - and
Melanie Roche.
The Americans edged the Australians, 4-3, at the 2003 World
Championships.
Another team filled with Americans is Greece, which
automatically qualified for the competition as the host nation.
But there is no history of softball in the country, so the
country looked abroad to fill its roster, which has 13
Americans, including sisters Jamie and Sarah Farnworth, who
played at Long Beach State, and their cousin, Stacey.
The rest of the Athens competitors include Canada, China,
Chinese Taipei and Italy.
Canada has just one player older than 29 and is led by pitchers
Lauren Bay, 23, and Ani Nyhus, 21. Only three players are back
from a 2000 squad that finished eighth.
Chinese Taipei was a surprising third at the 2002 Worlds.
The softball field at the Hellinko Olympic complex has been
enlarged in hopes of increasing scoring. In Sydney, China
averaged a tournament-high 3.25 runs per game.
The mound has been moved back three feet from home plate to 43
feet, and the outfield fence is 220 feet from home rather than
200. Officials are hoping the differences will reduce
strikeouts and lead to more hits.
A competitive competition may be crucial for the future of
softball as an Olympic sport. The IOC has only guaranteed
softball a spot through the 2008 Games in Beijing.
After opening against Italy, the U.S. faces Australia on August
15, Japan on August 16 and China on August 17. The semifinals
are August 22 and the gold medal game scheduled for the
following day.
st 08-09-04 12:41 et
