Netherlands – Taiwan 4-2
TPE 100 000 1 2 8 1 NED 022 000 X 4 6 2
Box score
Recap on Official Team Website
On the last day of the preliminary round at the Olympics in Beijing the Dutch Women Softball Team finally won a game. They scored two runs each in the second and third period en route to a 4-2 victory against Taiwan.
Chinese Taipei had opened the match with a 1-0 lead after a RBI single by Hsueh-Mei Lu in the first frame. But the Netherlands came back moments later. They loaded the bases in the second and Noemi Boekel came through with a RBI single to plate the tying run. Marjan Smit brought a one-run lead with a sac fly one batter later.
In the third Sandra Gouverneur added two more runs with a two-run single to make it 4-1. Taiwan tried to rally in the seventh, but only got one run in on a Hui-Chan Chiang sac fly, leaving the bases loaded to end the threat.
Rebecca Soumeru (NED) started and allowed one run on four hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. Judith Van Kampen (W 1-2) replaced her and picked up the win. Kristie De Vries closed it out. Sheng-Jung Lai (L 0-3) gave up two hits, two runs (1 ER) and a base on balls in 1 2/3 innings.
USA – China 9-0 (5)
CHN 000 00 0 1 1 USA 900 0X 9 9 0
Team USA shut out another opponent on Monday to conclude the preliminary round with a perfect 7-0 record, winning 9-0 against China. They scored nine runs in the first on their way to the victory. Kelly Kretschman set the highlight with a three-run shot. Tairia Flowers drove in two. Natasha Watley scored twice.
Cat Osterman (W 3-0) started and allowed just one hit and a walk in three scoreless innings. Jennie Finch relieved her with two perfect innings. Each struck out three. Wei Lu (L 0-3) gave up three hits, six runs and two bb in 2/3 of an inning to take the loss.
Canada – Japan 0-6
JPN 022 002 0 6 9 0 CAN 000 000 0 0 4 3
Japan finished in second place after the first round with a 6-0 victory against Canada, which dropped to fourth, but clinched a berth in semi-finals too.
Japan scored two runs apiece in the second, third and seventh frame. Rei Nishiyama and Motoko Fujimoto combined to drive in four runs. Megu Hirose and Masumi Mishina each scored two runs.
Yukiko Ueno (W 3-0) allowed just three hits in six innings to pick up the win. Lauren Regula Bay (L 2-2) gave up three hits, three runs (1 ER) and four bb in 2 1/3 innings.
Venezuela – Australia 2-9
AUS 410 40 9 8 0 VEN 000 02 2 1 0
Australia clinched third place in the standings by beating Venezuela 9-2. They scored five runs in the first two frames and added four more in the fourth to finalize the win in five innings. The South Americans tried to avoid the early ending by rallying for two runs in the fifth, but lost anyway.
Danielle Stewart hit a three-run homerun. Natalie Ward and Tracey Mosley each drove in two. Stacey Porter scored three times.
Justine Smethurst (AUS) started with two perfect innings, before Kelly Hardie (W 2-0) came in and closed the game out for the win. Hardie allowed one hit, two runs and two walks in three innings. Mariangee Bogado (L 2-3) was hit hard with five runs on four hits and six bb in 1 1/3 innings.
The Softball Tournament at the Olympic Games in Beijing is off on Tuesday and continues on Wednesday with the semi-finals. Team USA is playing second-ranked Japan in semi-final one. The winner advances directly into the final. The loser is playing the winner of semi-final two to determine the bronze medal and the second finalist. This game is going to be played on Wednesday too. The gold medal game is scheduled for Thursday, August 21 at 18:30.
Schedule:
Wednesday, August 20:
09:30 Semi-Final 1: USA – Japan
12:00 Semi-Final 2: Australia – Canada
17:00 Bronze Medal Game: Loser Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner Semi-Final 2
Thursday, August 21:
18:30 Gold Medal Game
Final Standings Preliminary Round:
- USA 7-0
- Japan 6-1
- Australia 5-2
- Canada 3-4
- Taiwan 2-5
- China 2-5
- Venezuela 2-5
- Netherlands 1-6