OKLAHOMA CITY, 19 July 2006 — Stacey Nuveman and Lovieanne Jung homered off nemesis Yukiko Ueno to power the United States over Japan 5-2 in the softball World Cup final on Monday.
Andrea Duran also homered and Cat Osterman struck out 11 in a two-hitter as the United States took the first big step toward re-establishing itself as the best women’s softball team in the world after losing three times to Japan last year, including the World Cup final. The next test comes at the world championship next month in Beijing.
The Americans (6-0) scored twice early against Ueno, the Japanese ace who had been dominant against the US for the past year. Nuveman then led off the fourth inning with a drive to center field, her first of the tournament, and Jung followed with a similar shot one out later.
It was the first time the Americans were able to solve Ueno (2-1), with a fastball measured at over 70 mph (112 kph) from 45 feet (13.5 meters) away and a changeup in the low 50s (80s), since a 1-0 win over Japan in the 2003 Japan Cup.
Ueno threw a three-hitter in last year’s World Cup title game, won 3-1 by Japan, and had allowed only that one run in her previous 26 innings against the United States.
The first pitcher to throw a perfect game in Olympic history, Ueno threw a pair of shutouts when the Americans visited Japan for the Japan Cup and an exhibition series last summer.
This time was different from the beginning.
After giving up the two home runs in the fourth, Ueno was replaced by Yuko Endo to start the fifth. She yielded eight hits while striking out four.
Osterman (2-0) retired eight of the first nine batters she faced on strikes.
Eri Yamada broke up Osterman’s no-hit bid in the fourth with when she hit a chopper to third and dove into first base. Yamada also grounded a single to center in the seventh and scored on the final play of the game.
Canada 2, Australia 0 Canada scored twice on Alison Bradley’s third-inning single and an ensuing error to claim third place.
Melanie Matthews singled to start the third and stole second before Sheena Lawrick walked. Bradley followed with a single to right field off Tanya Harding (1-1), and the throw from Sandra Allen caromed into the Canada (4-2) dugout along the third-base line.
Matthews scored and Katie Hnatyk, who pinch ran for Lawrick, was awarded home on the play.
Australia (2-4) loaded the bases in the fourth and seventh innings but came up empty both times.
China 1, Britain 0 Zhang Ai had two of her team’s three hits, including an RBI single, to help China (2-4) win the fifth-place game.
After Xin Minhong was hit by a pitch to start the second inning, Li Huan pinch ran and moved to second on a walk.
Zhang then singled off Tiffany McDonald (0-2) to drive in the game’s only run.
Britain (0-6) put the tying run in scoring position against Yu Huili (1-1) in the seventh, but Lu Wei came in and earned the save by striking out Leah English after falling behind 3-0 in the count.
