Former Fresno State standout Laura Berg and Hawai`i slugger Stacey Porter will face each other in the Gold Medal softball game at the Athens Olympics. Berg is one of the leaders of the U.S. team, while Porter plays for Australia.
Porter, who returns to the Rainbow Wahine next season, is tied for the career lead in home runs with 38. In the Olympics, she is second in home runs (2) and tied for third in RBI (5). Berg is sixth in runs scored with four.
With eight consecutive shutout wins, 49.0 scoreless innings and outscoring its opponents 46-0, the United States and Australia play each other in the gold medal game on Mon., Aug. 23, 4:00 p.m. (6:00 a.m., PST). The gold medal game can be seen on USA Network.
In the Olympic history between Team USA and Australia, it's been the big guns: Fernandez vs. Harding. Harding has beaten the United States twice (Fernandez) but in extra innings (W 2-1, 10 inn. in 1996; W 2-1, 13 inn. in 2000). Fernandez and the United States have rebounded back by winning the last three meetings (W 1-0 in 2000; W 10-0 in 5 inn. in 2004; W 5-0 in 2004 semifinals).