A first-time Olympian, Canada's Jennifer Yee makes contact in this morning's first game, a 6-1 win for her team over Chinese Taipei.

DEFENDING GOLD MEDALISTS OPEN OLYMPICS WITH WIN
2008-08-12

BEIJING, CHINA -- The fourth Olympic softball competition got underway here today with four games, as the eight participants began the tournament that will run through August 21.

The defending Olympic gold medalist USA gave a rude welcome to Venezuela, who is making their first ever Olympic softball appearance. The Americans won 11-0, setting a new Olympic softball record for runs in one game. They also tied the record for most home runs in one game (three), including an inside-the-park round-tripper for first-time Olympian Caitlin Lowe.

The following summary of the day's four games comes from the Olympic News Service...

Canadian designated hitter Megan Timpf went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs as Canada defeated Chinese Taipei 6-1 in the opening game of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Softball tournament at Fengtai Softball Field on Tuesday.

Lauren Bay Regula picked up the win over five one-hit innings and Li Chiu-Ching homered late for the losers.

Even though struggling with her control throughout, including a wild pitch and five walks, Regula enthused, "It was amazing, a great performance and so much fun. I was wide awake at 5:30 this morning ready to get out on the field."

Team USA set an Olympic record for most runs scored in a single game with their 11-0 triumph over Venezuela.

The game was halted after five complete innings under the provisions of the International Softball Federation's "run-ahead rule," which calls for a game to be stopped and declared official after five innings if one team is seven or more runs ahead of the other.

The United States raced into a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning on back-to-back home runs by Natasha Watley and Caitlin Lowe off starting pitcher Johana Gomez, who took the loss. Lowe's was an inside-the-park home run that sailed over the head of Venezuelan left fielder Rubilena Rojas.

"Once I rounded first, I saw where the ball was and I thought I could make it, then I saw Coach do his little wave and I knew I could go all the way," celebrated Lowe.

American designated player Crystl Bustos upped her Olympic career home run record to nine with a blast over the left-center field fence to lead off the third inning.

Winning pitcher Jennie Finch did not give up any hits in the four innings that she worked. She struck out five batters and allowed two walks.

China combined tight defense with long-ball hitting to defeat the Netherlands 10-2 in the first evening game. Starter Yu Huili allowed one hit over five and two-thirds innings for the win, while Kristi de Vries suffered the loss and gave up six runs on five hits in four and two thirds.

China opened the scoring in the top of the fifth inning when Yu Yanhong reached first base on an error by third baseman Daisy de Peinder. Yu scored when Zhang Ai sent a single up the middle into center field.

In the bottom of the fifth with one out Netherlands left fielder Marloes Fellinger hit a line drive just over the left-field wall of Fengtai Softball Field off substitute pitcher Li Qi.

China broke the game wide open in the seventh. Zhang Lifang took Dutch reliever Judith van Kampen deep with a three-run home run into the left-field stands. Zhou Yi followed Zhang's home run with her own right field shot.

In the late evening game, Japan went up early and held on tight against a game Australian club to open their medal campaign with a 4-3 win.

Satoko Mabuchi made the big noise for Japan with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first, scoring Rei Nishiyama and Eri Yamada ahead of herself.

Australia's Natalie Titcume answered right back with a two-run shot in the top of the second and Jodie Bowering clocked a solo homer two batters later to tie it all up.

In the bottom of the inning Japan put on a clinic, manufacturing the decisive run with a triple, a batter hit by a pitch, and an error on catcher Titcume.

Australian starting pitcher Melanie Roche took a tough loss, giving up four runs on four hits over four complete innings of work. Her Japanese counterpart Yukiko Ueno claimed a complete-game victory by scattering six hits around five strikeouts.