Stepto Throws Gem vs. USA

CORVALLIS – Future Oregon State softball player Tarni Stepto pitched a gem at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, helping Australia battle undefeated Team USA to extra innings.
 
Stepto held the Americans scoreless through the first seven frames, allowing just one earned run in 7.1 innings of work.
 
"In the first inning, as an athlete you can tell if you're on or off you're game," Stepto said. "I just made sure today I was going to be on. I just made sure every inning, I was on."
 
The pitcher allowed just five hits over the course of the contest, while striking out three. She threw a total of 95 pitches, 58 of which were strikes.
 
Team USA eventually out-lasted Australia to take a 2-1 victory in eight innings.
 
Australia has one more game remaining in the group phase, as they prep to face Italy on Monday. The squad will be looking for a win to help their bid for the bronze medal game.
 
"To be honest our spirit is still really high," Stepto said. "We battled and played the best game we've had here. We're excited for tomorrow, we just need to make sure we win that game so we can move forward. We played a great team and hopefully we back that up to be in the Bronze Medal game."
 
Stepto, who will join the Oregon State softball squad in the fall, was a part of the Australian squad that swept through the WBSC Asia/Oceania Olympic qualification undefeated, and has represented the Travelodge Aussie Spirit at an international level. Stepto committed to Oregon State after spending the 2019 season at Salt Lake Community College. She earned Scenic West Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year that season with a 12-3 record and an ERA of 1.62.
 
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