US Beats Australia, Sets up Gold Medal Rematch With Japan
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!’”
Pinch-runner 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 rematch with defending champion Japan in Tuesday’s gold medal game.
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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.
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