Received: 7/16/06 1:04:14 AM From: "Holly Krivokapich" <hollyk(at)softball.org>
Subject: Japan advances to championship game with 5-4 win over Australia Japan advances to championship game with 5-4win over Australia Oklahoma City, Okla.---It was scoreless through two as bothAustralia and Japan struggled to muster any offense early in the nightcap onday three of the II World Cup of Softballpresented by Kelloggs Frosted Flakes. With two outs in the inning, Australiacame out swinging in the top of the third scoring three runs off four hits.Sandra Allen singled to center field and advanced to third off a single byStacey Porter. Belinda Wright stepped up to the plate ripping a double thatplated two runs, and then scored off a single by Natalie Titcume. Japan answered with one run in the third andtied the game in the fifth when Mikiko Tanaka blasted a two-run homerun to deepcenter field. Japanfinally took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Emi Inui led off theinning with a single to left field. Eri Yamada then came to the plate andslammed a home run over the fence to five Japana 5-3 advantage. A pitching change in the top of the fourth for Japanproved to be beneficial as Yokiko Ueno held the Australian offense to just onerun on two hits to collect the win. Australiatried to fight back but Ueno, who was throwing 74 mph consistently, closed thegame by striking out four of the last five batters she faced. Japan faces USAtomorrow, July 16, at 12:00 p.m., in what could be called a warm-up for thechampionship finals on Monday. With identical 4-0 records, it will be a rematchof the 2005 World Cup Finals that saw Japan upset the U.S.3-1 to take the inaugural World Cup. Australia faces Canadatomorrow at 2:00. Als Fastball List *Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/ NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball 2006 ISC World Tournament - Kitchener, Ontario http://www.iscfastpitch.com/ VIA http://www.webbox.com
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