U.S. Olympic team making stop in Bowie

Returning members of past gold medal teams lead the way as squad prepares for Beijing

Since the start of the year, the Olympic team has prepared for this summer’s Olympics in Beijing by facing the best college teams in the nation. Although most of the games have been lopsided, the U.S. team (25-1 on the tour) suffered a 2-0 setback against Virginia Tech in March. The squad has since rebounded with shutout victories against New Mexico State, Alabama and Louisiana-Lafayette.

While fans might be unfamiliar with the Washington Glory, part of the six-team National Pro Fastpitch softball league, there will be familiar faces in the Olympic team’s dugout. Pitchers Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman and catcher Stacey Nuveman are virtually household names to fans who have watched the U.S. team dominate in the past three Olympics.

‘‘I am very excited about this team and its ability to continue the excellence that USA Softball has come to expect at the Olympic games,” Team USA coach Mike Candrea said in a press release. ‘‘This team is built around a core of veteran players that brings a tremendous amount of International and Olympic experience. With the addition of some very good young talent, this team will be well balanced between speed, power, pitching and defense.”

Many of the current players have been part of the team’s 24-4 run in the last three Olympic tournaments, with the 2004 squad going 9-0 while outscoring its rivals, 51-1. Softball, however, will not be an Olympic sport in 2012 and its chances of appearing on the 2016 schedule remain iffy at best.

Jessica Mendoza. Natasha Watley and Osterman each will make their second Olympic appearances this summer. Pitcher Monica Abbott, a 2007 University of Tennessee graduate, is the youngest player on the team and actually is a member of the Washington Glory. She joined the U.S. Team last year and went 6-0 while not yielding a walk or surrendering an earned run in 26.2 innings. Meanwhile, Finch, Nuveman and Crystl Bustos each are seeking their third Olympic gold medals.

The only player on either roster with local ties is Glory infielder Amber Jackson, who was the NPF Player of the Year as a rookie last season. Jackson began her college career at Bethune Cookman before concluding at the University of Maryland. She is one of only 12 players in NCAA history to collect 300 hits, score 200 runs and amass 100 stolen bases.

Although Prince George’s Stadium seats roughly 10,000 spectators and home crowds at Bowie Baysox games on ‘‘fireworks nights” have often exceeded 13,000, organizers opted to cap the ticket sales for this weekend’s contest at 7,500. Lower reserved seats were sold out in March, but general admission seats remained on sale until April 30.

E-mail Ted Black at tblack@gazette.net.