Sports

Another shutout puts U.S. in position for gold

ATHENS - The U.S. softball team's Death and Taxes Tour rolled merrily along Sunday, with a 5-0 victory over Australia that put the Americans in tonight's gold medal game. It was the U.S. team's eighth victory without a defeat in the 2004 Olympics. It has yet to allow a run, while scoring 46. "They're on a roll," said Australia coach Simon Roskvist, whose team beat Japan later Sunday to earn the right to meet the United States for the gold medal. "I mean," Roskvist continued, "that's eight shutouts in a row." "If I don't give up any runs," said a shrugging Lisa Fernandez, Sunday's winning pitcher, "we win." And win, and win, and win. The Americans haven't lost in 78 games dating back more than 13 months. Next to the punishing afternoon sun, they're the surest bet in Athens. They're playing marginally better than they did in the 1996 Atlanta Games, when they lost just once (to Australia) while winning the gold medal in softball's Olympic debut. They're playing far better than they did in Sydney in 2000. Then, they had to battle back from a three-game losing streak (the third loss coming to Australia) that threatened to keep them from the medal round. Among the collateral damage of the Americans' current dominance is their rivalry with the Aussies. Their games in 1996 and 2000 (there were two in those Olympics) were classics, all started by Fernandez and Australia's unfortunately named Tanya Harding: ● Atlanta: Harding outpitches Fernandez 2-1 in 10 innings. ● Sydney No. 1: Harding outpitches Fernandez 2-1 in 13 innings. Fernandez sets an Olympics record with 25 strikeouts ● Sydney No. 2: Fernandez beats Harding 1-0 to advance the United States to the gold medal game. The rivalry and the Australians have taken a beating in Athens. Twice. The Americans have won 10-0 and 5-0. "I hope they win," U.S. catcher Stacey Nuveman said before the Australians' bronze medal match against Japan on Sunday evening. "We'd like to play them again." No wonder. Its dominance may cost the U.S. team more than a rivalry. All current Olympic sports are safe through 2012, but there is ongoing debate inside the International Olympic Committee about adding new events to the Summer Games. IOC president Jacques Rogge has said the Summer Games will not expand beyond 28 sports. That means if a new sport is added, a current one must be cut. Softball, a relative newcomer dominated by Americans, would be in a vulnerable position. "I would hate to see us penalized for doing our part to raise the bar and bring excellence to this arena," U.S. coach Mike Candrea said. The Americans argue they aren't inherently better at softball, but that they made themselves better in response to their struggles in Sydney. "We realized how close our opponents were getting to us," Fernandez said. So the U.S. Olympic Committee committed more resources to the softball team - a traveling batting-practice pitcher and trainer, plus digital technology to help players refine their techniques. It hasn't hurt that international softball moved the pitching rubber from 40 to 43 feet after the Sydney Games. The younger players on the U.S. team are used to the 43-foot distance, having played it in college. "I think it's unfortunate our sport has been questioned," Fernandez said. "I thought this was a great chance to bring our game to Europe. I think our job here is be spokesmen for the sport, to show the class we have and the character we play with." In the meantime, the Death and Taxes Tour rolls on toward its date with inevitability. "We haven't had our best game yet," first baseman Leah Amico said. There's little reason to think they won't be good as gold tonight.