“I am encouraged by recent media reports that the IOC President has expressed the possibility of reconsideration of the decision (by the IOC Session in July) in Singapore in that ‘there were precedents for the full IOC to reconsider a decision,’ ” Mr. Porter said. “I am optimistic that this unified effort by our softball delegation will show Mr. Rogge and the IOC Members that almost three months after the vote, we remain committed to getting our sport back on the 2012 Program, just as we’ve always been dedicated to growing softball globally and keeping it as a world-class sport that projects the Olympic image and ideals – especially its promotion of women.”

Accompanying Mr. Porter will be softball players who have competed in regional, world, and Olympic competitions, as well as ISF Director of Competition Laurie Gouthro – herself a former softball player and coach. The group of current athletes includes: Joanna Bouziou (Greece), Alison Bradley (Canada), Mayumi Murakami (Japan), Michele Smith (USA), Jelena Tomic (Croatia), and Maria Jesus Vázquez (Spain).

Attending athletes at-a-glance Bouziou was the captain of the Greek Olympic Softball team at the Games in Athens in August 2004. Bradley represented her country last year in Greece too, and has also played in a women’s world championship, the Pan American Games (silver medal, 2003) and various Cup events. Murakami, a TV sportscaster in Japan, played for her country’s national team (including at the Canada Cup) as well as in the Japanese industrial league, and now plays in the USA. Smith, among other on-field accomplishments, won a gold medal at softball’s first two Olympic appearances (1996 & 2000) and now plays softball in Japan. Tomic, the Secretary General of the Croatian Softball Federation and Vice Chair of the ISF’s Athletes Commission, has played in one world championship, two Olympic qualifiers, and five European Championships. Vázquez has been playing since 1988, which includes competing in her national league’s top division for nine years. Among other roles, she is a vice president of the European Softball Federation (ESF), a board member of Spain’s national softball federation, and head coach of a girls’ 18-under team.

Its that time of year again and Coach Bastian has a group of students from North Carolina and other places across the USA headed to Oktoberfest. Check out the site at www.ocbatbusters.com for further information. Good luck ladies!

A pitcher’s duel through the first three innings, starting pitcher and two-time Olympic veteran Fernandez, hitting .556, once again had clutch a hit to put the U.S. on top 1-0. With runners at first and second compliments of an infield base hit from speedster Natasha Watley (Irvine, CA) and a hit by pitch to Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, CA), the 5’6” superstar drove a high fly ball just over the centerfielder’s head for a stand-up double.

“It’s not how you start, its how you finish,” said U.S. veteran Lisa Fernandez. “This team has played really well this week but now it’s a whole new ballgame. The slate is wiped clean and we start over from here and must be ready to play our best game on Sunday.”

“Today was a great outing for us,” Fernandez said. “We really stepped it up on so many levels. We have to keep steady throughout this process and just take each game one at a time.”

“Today was very exciting for our team,” Osterman said. “It was good to be able to pitch 2/3 of an inning in our opening game versus Italy. It allowed me to get some of the first game jitters out of the way so I could relax and pitch my game today.”

A rematch of the 2000 gold medal game, this marked the first time in the last six outings that the game was decided by more than one run and the fourth time the game had been decided in extra innings.

Osterman was fearless in the circle during regulation totaling 11 strikeouts and allowing just one hit and one walk. Japan’s Takayama was equally impressive using her defense to hold the U.S. hitless through seven innings.