6/27/2012

USA Futures Slow Pitch team wins inaugural Slow Pitch Showdown 38-37 over National team

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — In the inaugural game of the ASA Slow Pitch Showdown in Oklahoma City at the Hall of Fame Stadium, the USA Futures team defeated the USA National team in a thrilling 38-37 match up.  Live on ESPN2,  the Futures team jumped out early at 21-8 in the second inning before the National team used a 20-run fifth inning to try and climb back to the top spot.  With both teams burning all their allowed ten home runs through the first five innings, the defense of the Futures eventually held strong clinching the victory.

Box Score

"This was simply an amazing night for our team,"  said Futures team member Kevin Filby.  "We knew all week with this trip that we could do this. I love these guys and would do anything for them. We put it all out there tonight and this was a huge win for this team and our sport and I was thrilled to be a part of this opportunity."

For the National team , Bryson Baker (Woodland, Calif.) racked up six RBI on five hits for the Men's National team. He homered in the first and fifth innings and also singled in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.  For the Futures team, Filby (Cardington, Ohio) led the team with two home runs. Filby went 3-for-5 in the game with five RBI and four runs scored. Filby also homers came in the first and fourth innings for the Futures team.

It was an offensive game as both squads tallied 75 runs off of 78 hits, including 34 extra base hits. The Futures team accounted for 38 hits, including 29 RBI.  Twenty-eight of the 38 runs scored came within the first four innings.  Though the Men's National team threatened to turn the tide in the bottom of the fifth inning, they were unable to overcome the early deficit created by the Future's team.

Heading into their last at-bat, the Men's National team trailed the Futures 38-33.  Dennis Rulli (Moorpark, Calif.) led off for the Men's National team with a single, however the next two batters flew out, putting the Futures team one out away from the win.  The Men's National team would not back down, however, and knocked out five consecutive singles, which scored three runs.  With two outs and three runners on base, Rick Baker (West Harrison, Ind.) knocked out a single, scoring B. Baker before Brian Rainwater (Kathleen, Ga.) was thrown out at home, ending the game. 

Next up for the USA Men's Slow Pitch National team is the Border Battle IV, which takes place Saturday, June 30.  At 2 p.m. CT, Team USA will take on the Canadian Men's Slow Pitch team, in a game that will be aired live on ESPN2.  An autograph session will follow the game.  Tickets for Border Battle IV are available in a variety of packages.  All-session tickets, which include all of the USA Softball Women's National team games and Border Battle IV, are $80 for reserved seating and $45 for general admission seating.  Reserved single session tickets are $25 and general admission are $10 for each of the six days of the World Cup of Softball and Border Battle. 

Tickets for the World Cup and Border Battle are available at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium ticket booth during the event.

 

About ASA Softball
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 200,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.

About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men's, Women's, Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles including the last seven consecutive as well as claimed five World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.

Julie Bartel

ASA/USA Softball

Director of Marketing & Communications

2801 NE 50th Street

Oklahoma  City, OK 73111

 

405-425-3463 – work

405-203-4645 – cell

jbartel@softball.org

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