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2008 BEIJING GAMES FROM OUR PARTNERS |
Japan Tops U.S. For Last Softball Gold
U.S. Had Won Every Gold Medal Since 1996
POSTED: 8:09 am CDT August 21,
2008
UPDATED: 8:26 am CDT August 21,
2008
BEIJING -- The United States softball team will remember the name Yukiko Ueno.How long until they see her again is anyone's guess.The right-handed Ueno pitched Japan to the gold medal in women's softball on Thursday night in a shocking 3-1 upset of the three-time defending gold medalist Americans.The U.S. -- riding a 22-game winning streak dating back to a single loss at the 2000 Sydney Olympics -- was the overwhelming favorite to win the gold in Beijing, having won every one since Atlanta in 1996.
But Ueno stymied the notoriously powerful U.S. offense with seven solid innings -- bringing her total innings pitched to 28 over the last two days -- in leading Japan to its first gold in women's softball.It will also be the last gold medal awarded in softball for at least eight years. The sport has been removed from the schedule for the 2012 London Games.
Copyright 2008. Courtesy of SportsNetwork.
