U.S. EDGES HOST FOR JAPAN CUP
2007-11-19

It wasn’t easy, but Team USA captured the title at the 5th Japan Cup this weekend in Yokohama.

After having lost to Japan, 5-2, during round robin play, the Americans saw the host team come back on them twice in the event’s final game. The U.S. team took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, only to see Japan tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Then, with the score knotted at one following the end of regulation, Team USA again took the lead with a run in the top of the tenth inning. Japan came right back though with a score of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

However, in the top of the eleventh the Americans finally put a run across that the Japanese could not answer, and the visitors headed back across the ocean with a 3-2 win and successful defense of their 2006 Japan Cup title.

The defeat was Japan’s first after having posted two one-run victories in round robin play to go with their three-run triumph over the U.S., the latter’s only loss.

Australia finished with a 2-2 record and in third place, including a 5-0 victory over China that clinched the bronze medal finish for the Aussies. China had been 0-3 in the round robin, though two of their losses were by just one run each.

Australia’s Stacey Porter was the event’s top hitter with a .545 batting average (6-for-11 at the plate, including a tournament high two home runs). Four pitchers – two from the U.S. and two from Australia – finished with a perfect 0.00 earned run average.

Full box scores and play-by-plays for each game are available on the event’s official website.