Japan s thrilling win over US proves softball deserves to be in Olympics si.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from si.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
JANET Leung of Canada reaches for the ball during the women’s softball opening-round match against the US at the Azuma Baseball Stadium. Reuters
FUKUSHIMA: Hosts Japan earned an extra-innings victory against Mexico on their ace’s 39th birthday and the second day of softball at the Tokyo Games, joining United States at 2-0 in the standings.
Australia later on Thursday defeated Italy, who dropped to 0-2 and have yet to score a run in the tournament.
Mexico, also 0-2, twice tied Japan, including in the seventh inning when a dropped ball by Japan’s center fielder let in a run and kept their ace Yukiko Ueno from a complete game and second-straight winning start.
Olympics: Miu Goto saves day as Japanese softball team walks off vs Mexico
Relief pitcher Miu Goto stranded five runners over the final two innings as Japan beat Mexico 3-2 on Thursday to improve to 2-0 in the Tokyo Olympic softball tournament.
Japan manager Reika Utsugi left ace Yukiko Ueno on the mound in the seventh to celebrate her 39th birthday with what she hoped would be a complete-game victory, but the right-hander surrendered the tying run and left the game with two on and no outs.
Relief pitcher Miu Goto. (Kyodo) I was about done going into the last inning, but because it was my birthday, the skipper kept me in. It s really unfortunate I was unable to close it out, but the way everyone fought back, this win makes me extremely happy, said Ueno, who pitched Japan to the gold medal in the last Olympic softball tournament in 2008.
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Abbott s one-hitter lifts U.S. over Canada 1-0 for 2-0 start
The United States Monica Abbott celebrates after defeating Canada on Thursday, 1-0, ina softball game at the Summer Olympics in Fukushima, Japan. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)
Published July 22. 2021 1:37AM | Updated July 22. 2021 8:49PM
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
Fukushima, Japan Six outs from her second Olympic no-hitter, Monica Abbott was clinging to a one-run lead when she walked Canada s Jen Gilbert leading off the sixth inning, and pinch-hitter Sara Groenewegen lined a 0-2 pitch to the right-center field gap.
The Day - Abbott s one-hitter lifts U S over Canada 1-0 for 2-0 start - News from southeastern Connecticut theday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.