Japan downs Australia in 12th for final berth in softball

Thursday 21st August, 07:00 AM JST

BEIJING —

Rei Nishiyama singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning Wednesday, lifting Japan to a 4-3 victory over Australia for a rematch with the United States in the softball final at the Beijing Olympics. With the bases loaded with one out, Masumi Mishina, who started the inning on second base according to tiebreaker rules, scored the winning run on Nishiyama’s single. The game appeared to be over again and again and in the end it was a matter of who wanted it more. Japan, which is aiming for its first Olympic gold, will meet the defending Olympic champions in Thursday’s gold medal match. Australia had to settle for the bronze medal. ‘‘It is great that we could make it to the final. The players really gave it everything. It has been very emotional for all of them, so I want them to get a good rest. After coming this far, it will be a matter of focus and total determination,’’ said Japanese manager Haruka Saito. Australia’s Natalie Ward doubled home a run to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the 11th, only for Japan’s Satoko Mabuchi to hit a bloop single to left to retie the game at 3-3 in the bottom half.

Perhaps it was hubris or just confidence but Saito stuck with starter Yukiko Ueno through thick and thin, even though the right-hander had already pitched nine innings earlier in the day in a 4-1 loss to Team USA in the semifinal. Megu Hirose hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to give Japan a 2-1 lead and workhorse Ueno looked to have the game in the bag until Kerry Wyborn lined a shot over the center-field wall with two outs to tie it in the seventh at Fengtai Softball Field. In the bottom of the seventh, Japan had a chance to score again after putting a runner at first with two outs. Motoko Fujimoto doubled to the corner in right but pinch-hitter Sachiko Ito was tagged out at the plate after she tried scoring all the way from first base, forcing the game into extra innings. Both teams kept it close in extra frames, missing several opportunities to end it. Japan put runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but failed to close the deal. Again Japan could have ended the nail-biter after Ayumi Karino tripled with two outs in the 10th but Nishiyama flied out to center. Ueno, constantly getting in and out of trouble, showed true grit. Signs of fatigue started to show when she loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but the hard-throwing right-hander struck out Natalie Titcume to end the threat. Japan has won a silver and a bronze with one finish in fourth since softball became an official medal sport in the Olympic program in Atlanta in 1996. Softball will be dropped from the 2012 London Games along with baseball. ‘‘Tomorrow we will be united as a team and look forward to beating the United States to win the championship. We would like to inspire all of the softball fans watching us,’’ manager Saito said.

Kyodo

Latest 15 of 25 Total Comments Show All

bebert at 09:59 PM JST - 21st August

Ueno vs USA I hope she gets help from her teammates

She did. Her teammates hit really well off the U.S. pitchers and made some key plays in the field.

Japan wins 3-1. Ueno ends up pitching over 400 pitches during 28 innings in 3 games over two days and wins Japan's 1st gold in softball just as the sport is being retired from the Olympics. If anything, it will be these last three games that helps return softball to the Olympics in 2016.

Quite an upset. Congratulations Japan!
Blue_Tiger at 10:10 PM JST - 21st August

Yes, she did. The USA left bases loaded twice, and a total of between 8 and 10 runners stranded. They deserved to lose. Japan just flat-out outplayed the USA this evening.

Well-done Japan!
pathat at 10:21 PM JST - 21st August

"If anything, it will be these last three games that helps return softball to the Olympics in 2016."

The only chance of this happening would be if Tokyo were the host city, and I do not see that happening.
pathat at 10:23 PM JST - 21st August

The Japanese women showed a lot with their teamwork tonight, which is more than I can say for the under-performing American women, and most certainly better than the pathetic lack of teamwork showed by the American men and women in the 4X100 meter relays.
some14some at 10:35 PM JST - 21st August

congratulations, well-done Japan, now i will stop watching tv for a week.
Sarge at 10:46 PM JST - 21st August

Congratulations to the Japanese girls on their gold medal. Hey, did anyone see the size of that one U.S. girl? She must weigh... I don't want to guess!
boobug at 11:03 PM JST - 21st August

Damn shame ! It took the Japanese three shots to beat the Americans and they finally got lucky and won one. Like I said before, it is very difficult to beat the same team three consecutive times. In every sport the ball can bounce one way or another, deflect here or there, or catch a blade of grass and wiggle on by. I feel for the Americans much like I did for the Koreans when they beat Japan twice but lost the third at the WBC. I say these games should be single elimination, when you are beat you are beat and go home. Too bad for the USA. They had a great run though and are taking home another medal. Looks like 100 for the US is all but a shoo-in. Chock up another excellent showing at the Olympics by the Americans.
bebert at 11:08 PM JST - 21st August

The only chance of this happening would be if Tokyo were the host city, and I do not see that happening. Or Chicago. Americans don't like to lose without the chance of a rematch in sports they consider their dominion - i.e. basketball.

Hey, did anyone see the size of that one U.S. girl?

Yeah, it's almost like a movie stereotype to have someone that big batting clean-up. She's as large as some linemen on football (American) teams. That's why Ueno walked her at her final at bat. You don't want that much mass and inertia getting behind one of your pitches.
some14some at 11:34 PM JST - 21st August

Hey, did anyone see the size of that one U.S. girl? She must weigh... I don't want to guess!

Yeah, she was too heavy for J-team, 1-HR and she was given free walk (intentional walk):)
Pukey2 at 12:16 AM JST - 22nd August

boobug:

Looks like 100 for the US is all but a shoo-in.

Yeah, but too bad more than two-thirds of them will be silver or bronze, unlike another country right up there.
roomtemperature at 12:39 AM JST - 22nd August

What's with this "100 for the US"???? Is this so special for you? Many times this barrier was broken already. And not only by the US! Actually more times by other countries then the US. So, nothing to brag about. A normal thing. But I understand.....if you can't brag about gold...you need to brag about something else, right?
roomtemperature at 02:07 AM JST - 22nd August

"How many countries can lay claim to them numbers ? You Brits certainly can't !"

First of all, I'm not a Brit. Mistanke No.1!!

Second....France, Germany, West-Germany, Russia...and indeed Great Britain can claim those numbers too!!! Mistake No.2!!

"100 plus baby!"

The hand of a child.......

That's not a mistake.....
OgieDoggie at 05:33 AM JST - 22nd August

I think the pitcher for Japan is under the age limit...quick someone check her passport and see what it says - signed upset American!
AlliedForces at 07:13 AM JST - 22nd August

As a guy from the US whi is proud of our efforts in CHina, i am afraid that the ranking system is led by the country with the most gold medals.

As far as i remember taht is the way it has always been. This Olympics would be pretty darn poor for the US without Phelps.
roomtemperature at 08:00 AM JST - 22nd August

"You go to any history book on the Olympics, or even Wikipedia for that matter," boobug said.

Well, boobug...this IS from Wkikipedia:

"Most of the world's media ranks in the 'gold first' manner, with the number of golds determining rank, then number of silvers, then the number of bronzes. However for 2008 Olympic Games the US media is ranking countries in an 'overall total' manner, with all medals being added up and a ranking based on which country has the most."

Why only for the 2008 Olympics? Oh, wait...I get it...(smirk)

"Obviously German ! "Mistanke" ?"

You have nothing better then this? No, you don't!

"Face the ugly truth non-Americans, once again the USA has came, they saw, they kicked your tails, and this will go down as another great performance by team USA !"

No, that's not the US...that's China!! Ostrich politics from your side.