Bustos' homer sends US softball team to fourth Olympic final
20/8/2008 18:00
The American softballers beat the Japanese team 4-1 after two lengthy
extra innings at the Olympic semifinal today, with credit given to Crystl
Bustos, who struck a homer at the last moment.
In the first seven innings of
the match between champion and bronze medalist at the Athens Olympics, pitchers
from both sides suppressed their rivals in the circle, maintaining the score of
0-0 to the end.
The most eye-catching pitcher was perhaps 26-year-old
Japanese Yukiko Ueno, who worked nine complete innings. Her pitching speed above
110 kilometers per hour, she struck out eight batters, allowed six hits and four
runs.
According to regulations, starting from the eighth inning, which is the
first one of a tie-breaker, the offensive team shall begin at bat with the
player who is scheduled to bat ninth in that respective half inning being placed
on second base.
American and Japanese ladies failed to break the ice at the
eighth inning.
At the starting of the ninth inning, Tairia Flowers' single
put a speedy Natasha Watley across the home plate. This seemed to have battered
confidence of their Japanese rivals.
Then slugger Crystl Bustos entered on
the stage, and Ueno threw two bad balls for fear of a homer. However, her
nightmare finally occurred and the Hercules battered the ball to the
stand.
When the stalwart lady was enjoying a bottle of Sprite, Japanese
chalked up one score due to lapse of the American team but failed to catch
up.
After the match, Bustos described her feeling after the home run as
"nothing but joy".
"I know we had enough runs to keep us in the game a little
bit longer," she said.
"It was one of our most wonderful yet most difficult
matchs so far," said Mike Candrea, head coach of the Amercian team. "Luckily our
players pitched well and defended well, creating opportunity for the victory at
last."
While Haruka Saito, Japanese head coach, said that they didn't grasp
the chance at the critical moment. "But it is not easy for us to drag the
Amercian team into an extra."
With an all-success record, the American team
is to chase its fourth Olympic gold.
The Japanese team will play winner of
the Canada-Australia battle later today for a last chance to the
final.
Looking into their next semifinal game, Ueno said, "We must pay more
attention to our defence. We have to play with more connections between base
players."
Xinhua
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