WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny. August 13, 2004, UPDATED August 14, 2004 7:45 A.M.: Team USA Softball opened its Olympic softball competition early Saturday morning at 5 A.M E.D.T. (4 A.M. C.D.T.) from Athens winning the game 7-0. At the Juggernaut game Wednesday night, WPCNR caught up with Alicia Smith, the former John Jay Cross River softball star, star Centerfielder for the two-time national ASA Champion Stratford Brakettes in 2002 and 2003. She talked with us about her summer in Italy playing with a team in the Italian fastpitch professional league and what to expect in the U.S.A.-Italy game. She turned out to be a great prognosticator.
THE STORY ON THE ITALIAN- USA MATCH UP: Alicia Smith, fleet, rangy, freckle-blessed cover-it-all centerfielder for the Brakettes is an Assistant Softball coach for Virginia Tech. Ms. Smith played the past three months for the Langhivano Softball Club in Nuoro, on the island of Sardinia in Italy in the Italian Federation. Ms. Smith was in the stands for the final big series with the Texas Thunder supporting former Brakette stars on the Juggernaut, Germaine Fairchild, Kaci Clark and Jen Smith. She gave WPCNR a unique perspective on what to expect in the Team USA-Italy softball opener in Athens. And, as it turns out, she was absolutely correct. Team U.S.A. defeated Italy, 8-0 Saturday afternoon in Athens. Lisa Fernandez, Kelly Kretschmann, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Whatly were the hitting stars. Jessica Finch won it. Cat Osterman, (former Brakette) snuffed an Italian rally in relief in the fifth. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
.“I played for the Nuoro Softball program in the Italian Federation. I stayed 2-1/2 months on the island of Sardinia and we competed with 10 teams throughout the mainland of Italy, as well,” the former hard-hitting, slick fielding good-looking centerfielder for the Stratford Brakettes explained. She is home early from her European season due to an ankle injury. “I pitched for them a little bit, unfortunately I had a little ankle injury, so I ended also having to contribute at shortstop for the first time, and I did a little outfield.”
Universal Language of the Ballfield.
WPCNR asked about the commitment the Federation expects and how it was for an American woman in Italy playing the game. “They (Longhivano) kind of rely on the foreign players to be pretty versatile, just come in and do what we need you to do. We play a couple of doubleheaders a week, practice all the time. It was probably the most unique experience I’ve ever had. Because not only your communication is a challenge to the utmost because I can’t even speak the language.”
“It was an amazing experience with how a group of about 15 girls, ranging in ages from 17 to 31, speaking three different languages on the team can come together and play with that barrier. I can’t recollect the record, but our job is to finish in the top 7 of 10 so they can keep the young squad in the division. They have the bottom two teams in the league drop a division every year.”
Experienced Players Brought in to Develop the Young Guns.
“We had a very young team, so they bring the foreign players in with the responsibility of kind of helping out fostering their program, helping out the youth programs with coaching and clinics and what not. Just contributing our knowledge to their program.”
Italian Olympic Softball Team Players have to Play in the Professional League in Italy.
Smith talked about the difference between ASA’s Team USA and the Italian Team the American players face in Athens today:
“Actually unlike the professional league in the U.S.A. (The National Pro Fastpitch League), the Italian National Team, their players have to play in this softball professional league, (the Italian Federation), as well. The top team, does have an abundance of the players (you will see today from Athens), but it’s great to be able to compete against other nation’s Olympics caliber athletes. You know, here playing with the Brakettes, and my experience in college, I’ve gotten a chance to play against our own as well as the Canada Cup.
The Italian Federation is a nice league. We really get to interact with other teams. When we play on the road it’s a very familial setting, despite the fact that it’s severely competitive out there (on the field). When the game’s over, it’s time for big dinners.”
Italians will Struggle Offensively.
Asked what she expected when Italy plays Whatly, Bustos, Nuveman, and the rest of the Team USA stars early Saturday morning, Smith said, “I think they’re going to struggle with the offense. (They did)The Italian team is not very strong offensively. (They weren’t.) They’re able to benefit because they have several Italian-Americans. So their pitching staff is loaded with several Italian-Americans from the states here. They’re just going to be mismatched. (They were).”
“The USA’s Offense is definitely going to take it to them before they can get to our pitchers.”
