Preliminaries USA vs. PUR
United States' Pitching and Hitting Overpower Puerto Rico in Softball: The United States behind a 13-hit explosion and the left arm of Michele GRANGER, defeated Puerto Rico 10-0 in the first game in Olympic softball history.
GRANGER earned the victory shutting out Puerto Rico. The left-hander allowed just two hits while striking out 10. Lisa MARTINEZ suffered the loss for Puerto Rico, surrendering five runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings.
Six U.S. hitters collected two hits in the 13-hit barrage. Dorothy RICHARDSON led the outburst with a solo home run in the sixth inning. The blast over the out-stretched Puerto Rican centerfielder's glove sparked a five-run rally. Gillian BOXX added two RBI and two hits in the winning effort.
The United States returns to action tomorrow in a 21:00 match-up with the Netherlands. Puerto Rico will try to bounce back against Canada at 18:30, at Golden Park in Columbus.
Final score: USA 10- PUR 0.
Canadians Outlast Chinese Taipei in Softball: A 10th-inning single to leftfield by Christine PARRIS-WASHINGTON drove in Colleen THORBURN to lead Canada to a 2-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in the preliminary round of softball at Golden Park in Columbus.
PARRIS, hitless in four previous at bats, swatted the single to left off TU Hui-Ping. TU took the loss, pitching 7.2 innings of relief after replacing the starter TU Hui-Mei. The two hurlers held Canada to just eight hits, while striking out nine.
The Canadian pitching was equally impressive. Debbie SONNENBERG and Lori SIPPEL combined to allow just five Chinese Taipei hits. The lone run surrendered by the pair was an unearned run in the second inning that was caused by a botched bunt play. SONNENBERG started for Canada and pitched the first five innings, allowing only one hit and the unearned run. Lori SIPPEL followed with five innings of scoreless relief and picked up the win for the Canadians.
Canada returns to action tomorrow in a 18:30 match-up with Puerto Rico. Chinese Taipei plays again tomorrow against Australia at 9:00, at Golden Park in Columbus.
Final score: CAN 2-TPE 1, 10 innings.
AUS vs. CHN
WANG Lihong Shutouts Australia in Opening Round of Softball: WANG Lihong overpowered Australia in an opening round game of the first Olympic softball competition, leading the People's Republic of China to a 8-0 victory. WANG surrendered only two singles to earn the victory. The left-hander allowed only three baserunners while striking out 10.
The Chinese bats also came to life, scoring six runs on six hits. WANG Ying opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning off Australian Melanie ROCHE. The starter took the loss, surrendering two runs in three innings of work while striking out six.
Reliever Brooke WILKINS allowed a run in the fourth on a double by TAO Hua. TAO's two-bagger scored LIU Xuqing who opened the inning with a single. WILKINS allowed two hits and struck out three in her three innings of relief.
WEI Qiang's three-run home run off Carolyn CRUDGINGTON put the game out of reach. WEI's blast plated TAO and AN Zhongxin. CRUDGINGTON allowed three runs in her single inning of relief.
Australia (0-1), matches up with Chinese Taipei (0-1), in a 9:00 game on Monday. China (1-0) , faces a 11:30 game against Japan (1-0).
Final Score: CHN-8 AUS- 0.
JPN vs. NED
Three Ninth Inning Blasts End Pitchers Duel in Softball: After six innings of a stellar pitching duel, Japan blasted three home runs to defeat the Netherlands 3-0. Yoshiko FUJIMOTO and Noriko YAMAJI hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the seventh inning against Dutch pitcher Anouk MELS. Kyoko MOCHIDA added a third solo shot off reliever Sonja PANNEN.
The real story of the game was the pitching. MELS locked up in a pitching duel with Japan's Juri TAKAYAMA. MELS pitched six scoreless innings before surrendering the home runs in the final inning. TAKAYAMA controlled the Dutch bats, allowing only two hits and striking out seven. The right-hander earned the win, allowing only three runners to reach base in the game.
Japan (1-0) , returns to action Monday with a game against China (1-0), at 11:30 at Golden Park in Columbus. The Netherlands (0-1) takes on the United States (1-0) in a 21:00 game.
Final Score: JPN 3 - NED 0.
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