09/03/2021 2 Minute Read

USA v Mexico Softball Series: Cat Osterman leads US to second win with stunning 2-hit gem

The veteran left-handed pitcher went the distance allowing two hits and no walks while striking out eight batters as USA beat Mexico, 7-0, in six innings.

World No. 1 USA claimed Game 2 of their friendly women's softball series against Mexico, ranked fifth in the world, with a 7-0 shutout on the back of a superb complete-game performance by veteran lefty Cat Osterman. Ali Aguilar, Kelsey Stewart and Hannah Flippen homered for the home team.

Mexico and USA, who are tuning up together in Clearwater, Florida for this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, faced off for the second time in two days at the Eddie C. Moore Complex after USA won the series opener on Monday 4-2. Osterman, a two-time Olympic medallist, was in command of the game from the beginning, allowing only a pair of singles (Sydney Romero and Chelsea Gonzalez) in six innings.

Aguilar produced the first three runs of the game, with a single in the first inning and a 2-run homer in the third frame. Stewart’s solo shot was in the fifth inning, while Flippen ended the game with a walkoff, 3-run bomb in the bottom of the sixth.

For Mexico, Taylor McQuillin started the game and was charged with the loss, while 18-year old lefty Desiree Hernandez (who helped Mexico to finish 7th at the WBSC U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019 in Irvine and is expected to lead her country’s staff at the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup 2021 in Lima, Peru) came in in relief in the fifth inning.

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- USA Softball to play four televised Olympic tune-up games in Florida next week
- USA vs Mexico three-game softball series set for 8-10 March in Clearwater, Florida
- Japan's Olympic softball roster to be announced on 23 March, following training camp
- Softball Australia opens three-week Olympic training camp aiming to medal at Tokyo Games
- Cat Osterman plans on retirement following 2021 season
- USA Softball Olympic Team reassembles in Florida for training camp
- Mexican National Softball Team to open Olympic year with training camp in California

The third and last game of the series is scheduled for Wednesday 10 March, at the same venue at 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (5 p.m. CET). You can see the game at USA Softball's website.

World No. 1 USA and No. 5 Mexico will be joined by No. 2 Japan, No. 3 Canada, No. 8 Australia and No. 10 Italy in the fifth-ever edition of the Olympic softball competition in Tokyo 2020, from 21-27 July, 2021.

Photo courtesy USA Softball