USA LOSES in World Cup of Softball Championship Game

[Julius]

Softball: Japan Beats United States 3-1

By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer1 hour, 4 minutes ago

The rest of the world might finally be catching up to the United States in softball.

The U.S. team lost a tournament title game for the first time since 1997, falling 3-1 to Japan on Monday night in the championship of the inaugural World Cup of Softball.

The Americans, who won the gold medal at three straight Olympics, hadn't lost a title game since the 1997 Superball in Ohio, 1-0 to Australia. It was also the second loss in a week for the U.S. team. The Americans dropped a 2-1 decision to Canada in their tournament opener, their first loss in international play since dropping a 6-1 decision to Japan at the U.S. Cup on July 4, 2002.

Yukiko Ueno (3-0) threw a three-hitter for Japan. She said through an interpreter that beating the U.S. team was a dream come true and she hopes the Japanese would soon be considered equals with the Americans in softball.

"We've had good games with a lot of these teams," said Stacey Nuveman, who was on the gold-medal winning teams in Athens last summer and in Sydney in 2000. "It's not like we killed them every time we played them."

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee voted to drop the sport from the 2012 London Games because it lacked global appeal. U.S. softball officials have questioned publicly whether the decision was a reaction to the Americans' dominance in Athens. The U.S. outscored opponents 51-1.

After the IOC decision, Nuveman said the excitement level at the first-of-its-kind World Cup tournament, the presence of media — including national television exposure by ESPN — and the support of the 16,000-plus fans that attended the event might have been more important than the fact the U.S. didn't win.

She said it will take an international effort to get the sport put back in future Olympics.

"Unfortunately, everybody gets so caught up on Athens in the sense that we really dominated," Nuveman said. "You don't have to go too far back to see us losing ballgames and struggling in Sydney. We almost didn't medal, period, let alone get the gold. We forget that quickly."

In 2000, the Americans lost three of their first five games in Sydney and nearly missed out on the medal round. It took five straight wins for the U.S. to bounce back and claim the gold medal.

This time, a young U.S. team was unable to rebound quickly enough. Mikiko Tanaka hit a two-run single off Cat Osterman in the second, and Rei Nishiyama added an insurance run with an RBI single off Jennie Finch in the seventh.

"The countries around us are getting a lot better every year," Wilkerson said.

The U.S. had several chances to tie it. In the fourth, Nuveman was asked to bunt with runners on first and second and no outs despite the fact she'd hit two home runs in her first six tournament at-bats and was still recovering from foot surgery. She was easily thrown out on the tail end of a double play. Kellie Wilkerson still got an RBI single in the inning, but that was all the U.S. could get.

In the sixth, Wilkerson — who had two of the Americans' three hits — grounded back to the pitcher after Jessica Mendoza and Nuveman had drawn two-out walks and moved into scoring position on a passed ball.

"We know we can hit. We're just not timing our hits perfectly together," Wilkerson said. "The times we need hits, we just haven't gotten them."

Wilkerson is one of six players who have joined the team since the Olympics last season and are aiming to be on the squad for the 2008 Beijing Games.

But as the Americans build for their future, they must also outpace the advancements of other countries where U.S. coaches are involved in efforts to spread the game worldwide.

"We have to be perfect every game," Wilkerson said. "If we make a mistake, we're going to lose."

U.S. coach Mike Candrea said the two losses should be a wake-up call for the young team, which has plenty of time to recover in time for the Beijing Games. Officials announced Monday that the World Cup would be held in Oklahoma City again next July. The world championships will be held in Beijing next October.

"We'll get back to work and I guarantee you this team will be ready to go," he said.

Australia 7, China 1

Stacey Porter drove in the winning run and scored three times, leading Australia to the bronze medal.

With the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Porter singled to center off reliever Li Qi to give Australia a 2-1 lead. Tracey Mosley had two RBIs for Australia (3-2), including an RBI single in the five-run fifth.

Melanie Roche (2-1) gave up one run in 4 2-3 innings of relief for Australia.

China (2-4), which beat Canada 1-0 earlier in the day, finished fourth in the five-team tournament.

China 1, Canada 0

Xin Minhong drove in the only run with a pinch-hit single in the seventh.

Li Chunxia, who scored the only run of the game, reached base on a single off Kaila Holtz (0-2).

Li Qi (2-2) threw a three-hitter for China.

Canada (2-3), which handed the U.S. its first loss in three years last Thursday, finished fifth.

What are your thoughts on this loss?

[Mikado]

Congratulations Japan...and USA, 2nd place isnt bad, when youve never lost before