WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny. August 16, 2004: It was just a little pop foul off third in the eighth inning hit by Lovie Jung of Team USA with the lead run on third in the international tiebreaker. But the Japan thirdbaser was not wearing sunglasses. Looking up into the high sky, she lost it. It fell. Prolonging Jung's at-bat. Error. A big error.

Then Jung walked and Kelly Kretschmann, former Stratford Brakette and Florida Atlantic star lofted a short fly to center that the Japanese centerfielder got off a weak throw to the plate on, and the U.S. broke on top in the 8th, 1-0. Ann Topping, pinchhitting, ripped one into right to score a second run, where the Japan rightfielder might have had a play at the plate had she had an arm.

Natasha Whately beat out a Baltimore Chop to score the third run. Meanwhile Cat Osterman, another Brakette and University of Texas windmiller masterfully handled the Japan lineup, fanning eleven hitters of the 24 outs. Team USA goes 3-0 in Preliminary Round play in the Olympics.

The real "Catwoman," Catherine Osterman, whom tri-state softball fans remember from her championship perfornces with the Stratford Brakettes mystified the Japanese hitters with her assortment of Warren Spahn curves, drop off the table drops and terrorizing riseballs. 

She was hitting the corners and the Japanese hitters simply could not even catch up with her curves. To this reporter's eye she never threw a changeup all day. All were swinging late and looking overmatched. WPCNR has seen Osterman pitch in person and this is the best performance we have seen her deliver. She came back on deep counts. She pitched with supreme confidence and made no mistakes. It was a money performance.

Meanwhile her Japanese counterpart, Tarayama, in the circle mowed down the Team USA hitters by pitching inside, taking advantage of the 25-30 knot wind blowing out to right. Time after time, USA hitters pulled the ball foul, and were not patient at the plate. Jung's amazing 15-pitch at-bat in the eighth wore Tarayama down, but Lovie should have been retired on the foul pop. The foul pop simply has to be caught by the Japan third baseman in the eighth and it was not. That prolonged Jung's at-bat, and allowed Kretschmann's fly to like, real shallow center to score a run on a sacrifice fly.

But, the amazing thing to me was that after completing losing the fly ball, the Japan Thirdbaser did not go to the bench and get sunglasses! You young players out there should not forget those shades when you're playing in a high sky situation.

Another key thing about this game was the importance of good arms in the outfield. Japan had weak arms in centerfield and right. I know players who play for White Plains that could have got the ball to the plate on a line to at least make it close on Amanda Freed at the plate. The centerfielder's throw from like way shallow center was 10 feet off line. The rightfielder's throw was incredibly weak on Topping's hit. Two instances that prove the addage that infielders save outs, but outfielders win or lose games.

The outfield play in the first three games of this Olympic preliminary round against the U.S.A. has been awful against the USA. Dropped balls. Misjudgments. Poor throws. Throwing to the wrong base. As has been the pitching. We've seen better outfield arms in 14-and-under ball.

At least Japan delivered quality pitching today, after two dreadful performances in the circle the last two days.

And, can the Sports Section of the New York Times, please give us some softball coverage of Team U.S.A.? The demolition of Australia Sunday was given about 15 lines with no pictures in The Times this morning. The way softball is being dissed by The Times in favor of gymnastics, swimming, and what have you, indicates that The Times determination to ignore softball is all too real.