Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Harrigan continues U.S. shutout streak

Former UNLV star pitches one-hitter in victory over China

By TOM WITHERS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lisa Fernandez races toward home on Lovieanne Jung's two-run single Tuesday in the U.S. softball team's 4-0 win. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATHENS, Greece -- Lori Harrigan twirled her index finger like a conductor's baton, leading the American fans' serenade.

"H-A-Double-R-I," they bellowed as she headed for the team bus, "G-A-N, spells Harrigan."

It's a familiar tune. So was the U.S. softball team's latest victory.

Harrigan, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and former UNLV All-American, pitched a one-hitter and Crystl Bustos broke out of her Grecian slump with a home run Tuesday in a 4-0 win over China, the Americans' fourth straight shutout.

The United States is lining up zeros like Olympic rings.

Lovieanne Jung had two RBIs and Leah O'Brien-Amico hit a run-scoring double as the Americans ran their winning streak to 74 games and improved their international record against China to 10-1.

The United States, which has outscored its opponents 24-0 in the preliminary round, now has 14 shutouts in 23 games since softball joined the Olympics in 1996.

"Numbers mean nothing to us right now," U.S. coach Mike Candrea said. "There's a long way to go."

A security supervisor at Bellagio when she's not blowing pitches by hitters, Harrigan struck out eight as the Americans (4-0) coasted.

Harrigan's relief outing in the tournament opener against Italy (three hits, 1 1/3 innings) was one of the few moments when the powerful U.S. team has shown any cracks on the Saronikos Coast. The 33-year-old atoned for that shaky performance with a dominant one.

"She had her full arsenal," said catcher Jenny Topping, who added two hits. "She couldn't miss with a pitch."

Harrigan dispensed her full repertoire -- fastball, curveball, screwball, drop and rise -- on the overmatched Chinese (2-2), who put only two runners on base against the 6-foot-1-inch left-hander nicknamed "Vegas."

She was dealing.

"I felt a lot better today," Harrigan said. "I had all my pitches working. I was trying to be too perfect the other day."

Harrigan may not get the publicity of the other U.S. pitchers: Jennie Finch, Lisa Fernandez or even Cat Osterman, the 21-year-old lefty who one-hit Japan on Monday. But as one of the mainstays for the U.S. program for the past decade, Harrigan gets plenty of love from her teammates.

"She's the one that keeps us together," Finch said. "Lori's our team mom. If your shirt is not tucked in, she'll tell you about it. She's a fighter, too. No one's tougher than Lori."

Except for maybe Bustos.

Considered the world's best power hitter, she connected for her first homer of the games in the fifth inning to put the United States ahead 4-0. The stout Californian had been 1-for-10 before pulling a pitch from Li Qi over the 220-foot wall in left.

Harrigan dominated from the start. After allowing Mu Xia to reach on a leadoff bunt in the first, she struck out the side and retired the next 16.

She finished the shutout by striking out Tao Hua.

"You could tell she wanted that one," Finch said.

It was nothing new for Shan McDonald, who has seen Harrigan make countless hitters look silly.

Now China's coach, McDonald coached Harrigan at UNLV. She recalled how as an 18-year-old, Harrigan simply reared back and fired from the circle. She can still bring the heat when she needs to, but Harrigan is much more selective with her pitches -- more Greg Maddux than Randy Johnson.

"She's just a much more mature pitcher," McDonald said, raising her voice to make sure Harrigan would hear as she walked past on the way to the locker room. "She's a far better pitcher now than she was back then!"

Hearing McDonald's comment, Harrigan spun around and flashed a warm smile.