Pocono News Section

Bound For Beijing Tour Visits Billtown

Bound For Beijing Tour Visits Billtown - Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 5:00PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Thursday, May 8, 2008 @ 05:00pm EST
Williamsport, Lycoming County- The U. S. Women's Softball Team is definitely bound for Beijing. But not before they take on the Longstreth Regional All-Stars in front of a packed house at historic Bowman Field. We're told it will be the biggest crowd on hand so far on the Olympic Team's cross-country tour.

Gabe Sinicropi, the Williamsport Crosscutters Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, said, "In the first 24 hours of ticket sales back in February, we sold about half the tickets available, and over the few weeks that followed we sold the rest."

Over 4,000 fans are expected to pack the seats for the U. S. Softball Team's exhibition game against the Long-Streth Regional All-Stars. That means plenty of prep-work in the hours before the big matchup. Crew members and volunteers were here early setting up concession and merchandise stands, reconfiguring the baseball field for a softball game, and making other last minute arrangements.

Message Center Operator Brandon Cain said he'll spend a few hours adjusting the scoreboard for the women's game. But he's happy to be involved. "It's the most fun job anybody could have because you get to watch the game and interact with the fans just by putting something up on the board. You really feel like you're doing something good when you get the fans to laugh," Cain explained.

Stacey Stuck is a Junior Olympic Commissioner for the Amateur Softball Association of Pennsylvania. She says the regional girl’s team is ready to take on their Olympic counterparts. Stuck said, "Their mindset is they want to beat this team. So they're all absolutely fit. They've been working out. It's amazing. I was just totally impressed. I met them last night at practice, and they're just psyched and ready to go."

No doubt the U. S. team will also be ready to play ball and entertain a capacity crowd. "I mean they are like rock stars to people. We all know Jenny Finch. We all know Cat Osterman and the rest of the USA squad. They're going to come out and we're going to see the best women's softball team in the world," Sinicropi added.