Ueno sets pace as Japan rolls over Canada

Tuesday 19th August, 07:11 AM JST

BEIJING —

Yukiko Ueno pitched three-hit ball over six shutout innings as Japan blanked Canada 6-0 in its final preliminary round game of the Beijing Olympic softball tournament on Monday. Rei Nishiyama hit a two-run single in the second inning to ignite the offense and Japan, which had already booked a spot in the semifinals and guaranteed itself a medal as the second-place team, went on to finish the round-robin stage with a 6-1 record.

Japan put runners at second and third with two outs after a leadoff walk and an error in the second, and Nishiyama singled into the gap in left after Canada intentionally walked Ayumi Karino to load the bases, making it 2-0 at Fengtai Softball Field. Yukiyo Mine had a run-scoring double and Motoko Fujimoto chipped in with an RBI single in third to extend the lead. Megu Hirose and Fujimoto added RBI singles in the sixth. 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.

Kyodo

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4 Comments

fatloser at 12:17 PM JST - 19th August

Japan doesn't win things it obliterates,destroys,annhilates,crushes,smashes...ect. When it loses the opponents eek by or win because the heavens frowned upon the superior race at that given moment. As if the forces that move the universe said "Lets give the weaker races a break"
smithinjapan at 08:34 PM JST - 19th August

No kidding, eh! Like the 'Japan's pitcher Naruse MOWES DOWN Canada' crap! They never just win, they DESTROY!

Admittedly, though, in this case, they did do a hell of a lot more damage than the men did. They played very well. The Canadians blew it when they lost their first game... it was down the toilet from there, which is a shame because the Canadian women are usually pretty strong.

Anyway, good job, ladies.
rajakumar at 12:21 AM JST - 20th August

Way to go japan team.
okapake at 06:56 PM JST - 20th August

How come Japanese TV didn't have today's game on. Very good game, even though Japan lost. Only constant repeats of the synchronized swimming!