U.S. softball team shows no mercy

By STEVE RIVERA

Gannett News Service

HELLINIKO, Greece - USA softball pitcher Lisa Fernandez circled her team's game against Australia on her calendar.

Now, she can add an exclamation point and an asterisk.

Fernandez went five innings in a surprisingly lopsided 10-0 win over the Australians here at Helliniko Stadium, making it two games in a row where Team USA disposed of its opponent by the seven-run no mercy rule. USA beat Italy 7-0 on Saturday.

``I have a tremendous history, and my teammates have a tremendous history (with Australia),'' Fernandez said. The rivalries are ``why we play the games. We looked forward to playing them whether it's in pool play or in the Olympics. It's two powers going at each other.''

Sunday, one power showed up.

``We have no excuses,'' Australian coach Simon Roskvist said. ``They played well and hit the ball. They were on fire.''

Unlike previous meetings with Australia, Fernandez got more than enough run support as the USA Softball team did something it hadn't done before in the previous two Olympics: beat Australia in pool play.

In the team's three previous meetings, Fernandez had gone 1-2, winning in the medal round of the 2000 Sydney Games but losing in two pool play games (one in 1996 and one in 2000).

This time it wasn't even close with Team USA getting some clutch hitting and overpowering pitching by Fernandez, the three-time Olympian.

Oddly, she did not strike out a batter, but still held the Aussies to one hit. Not since she was 8-years-old has she not struck out someone in a game.

``I really don't know pitching a game without a strikeout,'' she said.

``But in the Olympics you just want the W.''

Team USA got it in a big way, breaking it open with an eight-run fourth inning, getting seven hits in the inning.

Was it a statement game?

``If you want to say that,'' Kathy Kretschman said, ``put it down.''

With the U.S. up 7-0 in the fourth inning, Stacey Nuveman hit a three-run homer to make it a double-digit defeat for the Australians.

Australian starter Brooke Wilkins continued to struggle with her control, getting taken out in the first inning for the second consecutive game.

``She's had two ordinary starts and a lot of people are probably thinking what am I doing putting her out there,'' Roskvist said. ``But consistently, she's performed for us over the years. I'd give the ball again.''