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GREENSBORO -- A lot has changed since the U.S. Olympic softball team struck gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Starting pitcher Jennie Finch and her husband had a child. Outfielder Jessica Mendoza got married and is now an assistant coach at Cal-Santa Barbara.

But throughout the change, one constant has endured: The United States' best collection of softball players continues to dominate the sport like no other national team.

So Thursday night's 13-0 thrashing of UNCG in an exhibition was anything but surprising. Finch pitched a no-hitter and struck out 18 of the 23 batters she faced, and her teammates pounded out 15 hits against two UNCG pitchers.

The victory improved Team USA to 20-1 on its so-called Bound 4 Beijing tour, a 42-city, 63-game trip designed to prepare the players and coaches for the Olympics in Beijing in August.

But Thursday's outcome seemed incidental to the Spartans' players and the 1,500 fans who showed up to watch the game.

"It was a great experience just to throw against them," said UNCG pitcher Amber Harrell, who gave up five runs in three innings of work. "I grew up watching these players on TV. They're my heroes. You never imagine you'll be out there on the other side of the TV playing against them."

UNCG Softball Stadium normally holds about 500 fans, but the school set up bleachers beyond the outfield fence to accommodate another 1,000 for the sold-out game.

Fans didn't seem to mind the one-sided competition. In fact, by the third inning, 12-year-old Amy Walcott couldn't wait for the game to end. Walcott, who plays on a fast-pitch team in Greensboro, was eager to snag an autograph after the game from Finch, her favorite player. She wasn't alone. More than 300 fans stuck around hoping for an autograph.

The U.S. team's tour is part practice, part promotion, said coach Mike Candrea.

"We want to get better and work on the things we need to work on, but at the same time we're here to help the grass roots of our sport," Candrea said. "We're doing what we can to keep the sport going."

The U.S. team scored the only runs it needed in a five-run third inning. Andrea Duran's two-out single off Harrell with the bases loaded gave the United States a 2-0 lead. Vicky Galindo followed with an RBI single on an infield hit, and Lauren Lapping's ensuing single to left field scored two more runs.

Team USA blew the game open in the sixth inning, scoring eight runs on as many hits off reliever Hannah Angel.

Finch was her usual dominating self. The right-hander, who set an NCAA record at Arizona with 60 consecutive victories, rarely fell behind in the count all night.

The only UNCG runners to reach base were Emily Akiyama, who was hit by a pitch in the second inning, and Whitney Miller, who drew a leadoff walk in the seventh.

It was the first time Candrea had allowed Finch to throw a complete game -- seven innings -- since last summer.

"We're starting to work ourselves into shape," Finch said. "You have to be careful in how you get ready. We don't want to peak in June or July. We want to be at the top of things in August."

UNCG coach Jennifer Herzig said she was thrilled for her players to compete against the nation's best.

"This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our program and the university," Herzig said. "I'm grateful that we had this chance and very proud of the way that we represented ourselves tonight."

Since softball became a sanctioned sport in the Olympics in 1996, the U.S has won all three gold medals. Many of the players on this year's team played on the previous two gold-medal teams.

UNCG right fielder Mary Greenway said she and her teammates found themselves caught up in the excitement of competing against the very players they grew up watching.

"We were definitely playing a bit nervous," Greenway said. "Most people would die to play in a game like this."

Walcott, the 12-year-old softball player, hopes she'll one day get her chance. After waiting 30 minutes for U.S. players to sign her hat, she showed it off with a toothy grin.

"Someday I want to be playing for the gold medal," she said. "Then people will wait in line for my autograph."

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com