USA DETHRONES JAPAN FOR WORLD CUP
2006-07-18

WORLD CUP
of Softball II

Last summer Japan’s women’s national softball team went to Oklahoma City and won the inaugura World Cup of Softball title by defeating Team USA on their home soil. The stage was set for a repeat this year when the same two teams found themselves facing one another again in
the gold medal game at the II World Cup of Softball. This time, however, the Americans didn’t let the trophy leave the States.

Team USA defeated Japan, 5-2, last night to win the six-team tournament, which was an International Softball Federation-sanctioned event. Pitcher Cat Osterman threw a complete game two-hitter and struck out eleven to go with an offense that featured three players hitting home runs. On the other side, Japan’s Eri Yamada went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run as the team battled the heat and the big crowd at Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium.

Canada finished third, thanks to a 2-0 shutout of Australia. The winners got both of their runs in the bottom of the third inning and pitcher Danielle Lawrie went the distance, striking out seven Aussie batters to wrap up Canada’s fourth straight victory and second against the 2004 Olympic silver medalists in as many days. The two teams had met in the title game of the Canada Cup earlier in the month, with Australia having won that contest.

Early Monday afternoon, China finished fifth, getting past Great Britain, 1-0. In the bottom of the second inning, right fielder Zhang Ai singled to drive in the game’s only run and two Chinese pitchers combined to limit Great Britain to just two hits.

The II World Cup of Softball enjoyed worldwide television coverage through the ESPN family of networks, with 12 of the 26 broadcast hours being live.