The U.S. softball team, led by four UCLA alumnae, has advanced
to the championship game of the World Cup of Softball against
Japan. Team USA won three of its four games in round-robin play at
the first-ever World Cup of Softball this week, held in Oklahoma
City. The loss came on Thursday, when the United States fell to
Canada 2-1, its first international loss in three years. But the
USA rebounded the next day to beat Australia 3-1 and winning two
five-inning run-rule games on Saturday, 11-3 over China and 7-0
over Japan. “Tonight’s effort was a combination of a
good pitching performance, and good solid defense,” said USA
coach Mike Candrea on Saturday. “That’s more like USA
softball right there.” Four UCLA alumnae have played for the
United States in Tairia (Mims) Flowers, Amanda Freed, Stacey
Nuveman and Natasha Watley. Watley and Flowers have started each
game for Team USA, while Freed has played in one game.
Nuveman’s playing time has been limited due to a foot injury.
Still, Nuveman found a way to make her impact felt, when she belted
a pinch-hit two-run homer against China. Nuveman also homered
against Japan and hit an RBI single, giving her two runs batted in
for the game. Watley has hit .308 (4-for-13) for the World Cup and
has scored three runs. Flowers has only hit .143 (1-for-7), but has
walked four times, making up for a sub-par batting average with a
.455 on-base percentage. Freed went 0-for-3 in her only appearance.
The championship game will be televised live on ESPN2 Monday at 6
p.m. UCLA alumna Lisa Fernandez, who is considered to be one of the
best players in the history of the sport, is on maternity leave and
is not participating in the World Cup.
TRANSFER UPDATE: Krystal Lewallen, the Division II Athlete of
the Year, who announced earlier this month that she was
transferring to either UCLA or Louisiana-Lafayette, visited ULL
during the week and reportedly has not yet decided which school she
will attend. Multiple attempts to reach the former Northern
Kentucky standout during the week failed.