Final: USA – Japan 1-3
JPN 001 100 1 3 5 0 USA 000 100 0 1 5 2
Japan upset Team USA in the finals of the Softball tournament at the Olympics in Beijing and won the gold medal through a 3-1 victory. Japan snapped a 22-game Olympic winning streak in the most important game in China. The American also didn’t win gold, since Softball is a medal competition at the Olympic Games.
After Team USA loaded the bases with one out in the first, Japan came through in the third frame to take the lead. Masumi Mishina led off with a double and scored moments later on a RBI single by Ayumi Karino. Eri Yamada made it 2-0 in the top of the fourth with a solo homerun. Crystl Bustos brought the USA on the board with a solo shot by herself in the bottom of the period.
They fought for their lives and tired to come back, loading the bases with one out once again in the sixth, but failed to bring in the tying run. Japan added another insurance run in the seventh on a RBI fielder’s choice by Motoko Fujimoto to seal the win.
Yukiko Ueno (W 5-1), who threw 21 innings on Wednesday and lost the semi-finals to the USA, started again for Japan and allowed just one run on five hits and two walks in another complete game win. She struck out four. Since the Olympics 2004 she had beaten the Americans four times. The win on Thursday was the fifth and most important one.
Cat Osterman (L 3-1) started strong, striking out five of the first six batters, but lost her rhythm in the third. She gave up two runs on three hits in five innings. She finished with nine strikeouts. Monica Abbot closed it out.
The game was hindered by rain, even causing a delay in the fourth inning.
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