Dickson Sparks USA Past World Champs

PLANT CITY, Fla. -- Oklahoma sophomore Norrelle Dickson sparked the USA Elite Team to a 2-0 win with a crucial RBI single that helped defeat Japan, which is the reigning Junior World Champions, on the opening day of the 1st World University Softball Championship. USA fell in its evening round-robin game with Chinese Taipei by a score of 3-2. The U.S. finished Tuesday with a 1-1 record and will continue play from Plant City, Fla. with Australia and the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Dickson went 3-for-7 on the day, driving in one of the USA's runs in the contest with Japan and scoring one of the Elite Team runs in the loss to Chinese Taipei. She is hitting .454 (15-for-33) during three tournaments with the USA Elite Team this year.

Fellow Sooner Heather Scaglione received the start at catcher and went 0-for-3 against Taipei, but did reach base on an error in her first international at bat. Scaglione advanced to third base with no outs in the second inning of the loss before being tagged out at home plate on a fielder's choice. OU senior pitcher Kami Keiter did not play in the first day of action but will receive the start against Australia, the only remaining undefeated team, on Wednesday.

BOX SCORES: USA 2, JAPAN 0 | CHINESE TAIPEI 3, USA 2

Recap: USA 2, Japan 0
A slow start but strong finish lifted the USA Elite team to a 2-0 victory against Japan on Tuesday afternoon in the opening game of the 1st World University Softball Championship. A re-match from the 2003 Junior World Championship gold medal game, behind the arm of winning pitcher Hollowell (10 strikeouts), the U.S. scored two runs in the fifth to secure the victory.

“We were a little tentative out of the gate but finally connected in the fifth,” said head coach Jay Miller. “Alicia really pitched a solid ball game for us. She really battled and made the pitches that she needed to. This is a great win for our club and big step to build on as the tournament continues.”

Team USA ultimately took charge at the plate in the fifth with a lead off single from first baseman Andrea Duran (Selma, CA). Consecutive walks would then load the bases for Jodie Legaspi (Garden Grove, CA) who put the U.S. on top 1-0 with an RBI single through the left side. Adding a security run, Norrelle Dickson sent a blooper over third base plating pinch runner Catalina Morris (Sonoita, AZ) for the 2-0 advantage.

The U.S. loaded the bases again in the sixth thanks to hits from Sara Dean (Valencia, CA) and Duran, but Japan held off the surge as the U.S. took home the 2-0 victory.

Dickson and Duran led all hitters going 2-for-4 in the game.

Recap: Chinese Taipei 3, USA 2
In game two, Chinese Taipei took an early 3-0 lead in the first off back-to-back base hits and a series of throwing errors by the U.S.

With runners at first and second, a fielding error from Lisa Dodd (San Diego, CA) off a pick off throw from catcher Heather Scaglione (San Diego, CA) advanced the runners. A bobbled fielder's choice back to losing pitcher Monica Abbott (Salina, CA) then plated the first Taipei run before an RBI single from Taipei's Hui Chen Chiang pushed the lead to 2-0. A second fielding error from shortstop Kristie Fox (San Diego, CA) soon put Taipei in a comfortable 3-0 in the first.

“We dug ourselves into a hole in that first inning,” said coach Miller. “We kicked the ball around and made some errors that cost us. Monica struggled but settled down from the circle and then we just didn't give ourselves a chance offensively. We really couldn't put anything together and they really played a nice game and made some good plays. We have to bounce back tomorrow and pick things back up with two strong games.”

The stagnant U.S. bats remained as a series of fly outs and ground outs through five innings kept the U.S. from scoring. A two-run spark in the top of the sixth after doubles from Vicki Galindo (Union City, CA) and Sara Dean (Valencia, CA) looked to be promising, but the Taipei defense and pitching eventually sealed the 3-2 defeat.

The U.S. totaled five hits for the game while Abbott tallied 10 strikeouts from the circle.

The 2004 Elite Team is led by head coach Jay Miller (Born in Aurora, IL; Resides in Starkville, MS/ head coach at Mississippi State) and assisted by Michelle Gromacki (Huntington Beach, CA/ head coach at Cal State Fullerton) and Kirk Walker (Keizer, OR/ head coach at Oregon State).

A field of eight countries including Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Guatemala, Japan, the Netherlands, and the USA are competing in the five day event. The championship will be jointly organized by the United States Collegiate Sports Council and the International Softball Federation and will be ran in accordance with the most recent technical regulations of FISU and the International Softball Federation (ISF).

SCHEDULE & LIVE STATS | PHOTO GALLERIES | ELITE ROSTER

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