U.S. beats Mexico 2-0 in softball for 3-0 start; Japan downs Italy 5-0 Today 05:20 am JST Today | 06:04 am JST YOKOHAMA
Turned down for a job in the U.S. coaching pool in 2016 after she retired as a player, Cat Osterman found she was not angry. I had to do a gut check, she said. If I m not upset about not being selected, why do I want to be in the coaching pool? And then if I don t want to be in the coaching pool, why is that?
So she s back in the Olympics at age 38, and not just throwing but dominating.
YOKOHAMA, Japan United States softball swarmed their hero Amanda Chidester after her extra-inning single beat Australia 2-1 during the penultimate day of round-robin play.
The Americans could secure a date with Japan in the gold-medal match if the Olympics hosts hold off third-place Canada later on Sunday.
Tarni Stepto, Australia s youngest player at 21, held U.S. batters to five hits over seven and 1/3 innings. Throwing nearly as fast as flamethrower and U.S. counterpart Monica Abbott, Stepto earned outs in key spots to keep the United States off the scoreboard until Chidester s winning hit.
The United States, wearing red from hair ribbons down through pants, raced to Chidester at midfield to celebrate the walk-off victory.
By Syndicated Content
By Paresh Dave
YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – United States softball swarmed their hero Amanda Chidester after her extra-inning single beat Australia 2-1 during the penultimate day of round-robin play.
The Americans could secure a date with Japan in the gold-medal match if the Olympics hosts hold off third-place Canada later on Sunday.
Tarni Stepto, Australia’s youngest player at 21, held U.S. batters to five hits over seven and 1/3 innings. Throwing nearly as fast as flamethrower and U.S. counterpart Monica Abbott, Stepto earned outs in key spots to keep the United States off the scoreboard until Chidester’s winning hit.
A classic pitchers’ duel on Saturday at Yokohama Baseball Stadium saw Australia take unbeaten Team USA to the limit, but
Monica Abbott‘s 13-strikeout night helped the Americans walk-off in the bottom of the eighth to move to 4-0 and move closer to the gold-medal game.
The teams combined for just six hits through seven innings, three each, with Australia’s
Tami Stepto striking out three in forcing the U.S. to extra innings for the first time this tournament.
While runs have been hard to come by for the Americans, scoring five through their first three matches, their pitching has been exceptional and Abbott spun a gem against the Australians.
Amanda Chidester leads Team USA past Australia, into Olympic softball gold-medal game
YOKOHAMA, Japan The United States had just given up its first run and was two outs away from losing for the first time in the Olympic softball tournament.
Amanda Chidester stepped up to the plate with two runners on and slapped the ball into left field. In my head, I m like: Score! Score two! Score two! Score two! she recalled. When I got up and everyone was running out at me, I was like, We did it!
Ally Carda and Haylie McCleney came across the plate on Chidester s eighth-inning single, giving the United States a pulsating 2-1 victory over Australia on Sunday and a likely rematch with defending champion Japan in Tuesday s gold-medal game.