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August 20, 2004 10:05 am

U.S. softball perfect as pool play ends

By STEVE RIVERA

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - The United States softball team concluded its impressive roll through Olympic pool play Friday with a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei.

Team USA went 7-0 in pool play, posting an Olympic record seven consecutive shutouts while earning the top seed for the medal round. It resumes its quest for a third consecutive gold medal Sunday against second-seeded Australia.

Team USA ended pool play with some unbelievable numbers:

- It has held opponents scoreless for 45 consecutive innings.

- It allowed only 11 hits and three base runners to reach third base.

- It won four of its seven games via the seven-run mercy rule.

- It has five of the seven home runs in the tournament.

And with two games remaining, Team USA has tied its record for most runs scored in the Olympics at 41.

Three-time Olympic veteran Lisa Fernandez says the team's defense deserves the lion's share of the credit, but even she's amazed at what's going on.

``It is mind-boggling when you think of our ERAs and so forth, but we do have a level of expectations of doing things unbelievable,'' Fernandez said.

Like center fielder Amanda Freed's diving catch in the seventh inning that saved a possible run. She turned it into a double play when Yun Chi Tung wandered too far off first base and couldn't get back in time, thanks in part to Tairia Mims-Flowers' block of first base.

``It was a great catch,'' USA coach Mike Candrea said. ``Amanda covers a lot of ground, and that was huge. It was the play of the game. If she doesn't catch that, the ol' coach has a big decision to make with what to do on the mound.''

Instead, he allowed reliever Lori Harrigan to finish out the inning.

Harrigan pitched the seventh in relief of USA starter Cat Osterman (2-0), who threw a one-hitter through six innings but struggled with her control. She had an Olympic record four walks.

In the third, two walks and a throwing error allowed Chinese Taipei to load the bases with two outs.

But after a quick one-way conversation with third baseman Crystal Bustos, Osterman struck out Ya Fen Wang to end the inning.

``I wanted to make sure she was comfortable on the mound,'' said Bustos, who homered for the third time in four games to give USA a 1-0 lead.

Osterman hinted that the conversation was a little more involved.

``She told me to not worry about my pitches so much and just throw,'' Osterman said. ``If they make contact, we have a great a defense, and they'd work for me. And sometimes she can say things in a way that can stick with me.''

The U.S. can advance to the gold-medal game by defeating Australia. The loser will play a second game Sunday to determine the second finalist.

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