Team USA also stayed undefeated on the last day of the tournament and shut out Japan to win the title at the 12th Women’s Softball World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela. Earlier on the day the Olympic champion had crushed Canada in the bronze medal game to reach the final. In the final standings the Netherlands finished in eighth, the Czech Republic in tenth and Great Britain in eleventh out of 16 teams.
Bronze Medal Game:
Canada – Japan 3-12
JPN 031 111 5 12 13 2 CAN 000 101 1 3 6 4
Japan scored in six of the seven innings during the bronze medal game to beat Canada 12-3 on their way to the finals. Rei Nishiyama and Satoko Mabuchi picked up two RBI each. Ten players of the Olympic champion scored at least once. Kaleigh Rafter drove in two for the maple leafs. On the mound Mika Someya received the win, Danielle Lawrie the loss.
Gold Medal Game:
Japan – USA 0-7 (5)
USA 000 52 7 8 0 JPN 000 00 0 2 0
Team USA also was unstoppable in the finals of the Softball World Championship. Cat Osterman and Monica Abbott combined to allow just two hits and a walk in five scoreless innings to lead their team to a 7-0 shutout over Japan. After Makiko Fujiwara exchanged zeros with Osterman in the first three frames, Team USA decided the outcome with a five-run rally in the fourth. Lauren Lappin highlighted the outburst with a two-run triple. Andrea Duran hit a two-run homerun in the fifth. Jessica Mendoza scored twice. It was the seventh straight World title for Team USA.
Final Standings 2010 Softball World Championship in Caracas:
- USA
- Japan
- Canada
- China
- Venezuela
- Australia
- Taiwan
- Netherlands
- Cuba
- Czech Republic
- Great Britain
- New Zealand
- Dominican Republic
- Argentina
- South Africa
- Botswana