Taking on Olympian task

When the USA Olympic softball team squares off tonight at 5 p.m. in a doubleheader at Franklin Park against an area all-star team, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for players and Spokane fans alike.

“It’s pretty exciting for the town,” said area coach and exhibition organizer Fuzzy Buckenberger. “It’s going to be fun and the neatest part of it is for the kids. Ninety percent of them will never have the opportunity to be on the same floor as the Olympic team.”

A crowd in excess of 2,000 is anticipated to watch the Olympians play against some of the best softball collegiate talent from Spokane and North Idaho in the exhibition sponsored by Hallmark Automotive Group. In order to accommodate the turnout, parking will be available in Franklin Park Mall across from the park.

The Olympians are two-time Games gold medalists, seven-time world champions and have a 185-16 record in international competition. They’ll be available for autographs after the twinbill.

But Buckenberger is conceding nothing, saying his team has every intention of playing to win. In order to assure a challenge against a team gunning for its third straight Olympic gold medal, Buckenberger brought in pitching reinforcements.

“Pitching is absolutely No. 1,” he said. “If you don’t have it, you don’t have a chance.”

His weapons are Tia Bollinger, a member of the USA National blue team in 2001 and standout at the University of Washington, and Seattle product Kristina Thorson, who pitched for the NCAA World Series runner-up University of California.

Bollinger, completed her career on a down note when a shoulder injury and bursitis limited her senior season. She had pitched the Huskies to 36 of 40 wins as a freshman, added 20 wins her sophomore year and went 28-9 last year to earn second-team All-American honors.

This year she was 11-6 with 114 strikeouts in 114 innings and a 3.24 ERA during a tumultuous year at the UW. It did, however, culminate in a trip to the NCAA World Series.

“I had hoped this year was going to be the pinnacle, but was lucky enough to have had a great career at the UW,” Bollinger said.

She was part of the intensive Olympic tryout format that put her on the USA national team. Even though she ultimately did not make the Olympic squad the experience, Bollinger said, was worth it.

“I got to travel abroad, got to play with wonderful people and was exposed to coaches I normally would not be exposed to,” she said. “I was grateful to learn from them.”

Now healthy, she said she’ll face former teammates with her drop ball, off-speed style in tonight’s exhibition. It contrasts to Thorson’s rise ball and more power pitching-like approach.

Thorson was a standout hurler at Shorecrest High where she compiled a 50-5 record with 800 strikeouts and a 0.19 earned run average. The Scots reached the state finals three times, winning her sophomore year.

A visit to Cal convinced her it was a good fit. She was 15-7 with a 1.44 ERA for the national runner-up Golden Bears as a freshman and 28-4 with a 0.87 ERA and 232 strikeouts in 226 innings this year. Again, Cal finished second to UCLA in the NCAA series.

“At least we beat them in regular season for the first time in almost a decade,” said Thorson. “In the championship game we couldn’t get a key hit.”

Thorson has already pitched against the Olympic team, working three innings during a June 5 exhibition in Hayward, Calif.

“They only got one home run off me,” she said. “I thought they squeezed the strike zone and I hung a ball a bit much.”

Both pitchers are looking forward to the game, however. For Bollinger it is a chance to renew acquaintances and end her career fittingly.

“It’s kind of like my last game,” she said. “It will be nice to play against some of the (world’s) top athletes.”