For the second consecutive Olympics—though they were 13 years apart—Japan has defeated USA in the Gold Medal game, 2-0.
Behind the stellar pitching from Team Japan’s Yukiko Ueno, who went five innings and gave up just two hits while striking out five, and Miu Goto, who finished the final two innings while giving up just one hit, Japan shut out Team USA which finished 5-1 in the Games.
The Americans were only able to muster three hits with two coming from Janie Reed batting in the 2-spot. Leadoff Haylie McCleney, who had an outstanding run throughout the first five games, went 0-for-3.
The Americans’ best chance to score came in the bottom of the first when Reed tripled with one out but she was thrown out trying to steal home on a based ball. On the same play, Amanda Chidester would make it to first on the dropped third strike and advance to third base after two more wild pitches, but would be left stranded when Valerie Arioto struck out.
Team Japan scored one run in the 4th inning and an insurance run in the 5th and would finish with eight hits.
The only run the Japanese would need game with two outs in the 4th after Yamoto Fujita had singled to open the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice and third on a ground out. On a 1-2 count, Mana Atsumi singled off pitcher Ally Carda to plate Fujita.
In the 5th, Yamamoto singled with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch by Monica Abbott before Yamato Fujita would drive her in with a single to right field.
Fujita was the offensive star of the game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
For the US, Cat Osterman pitched two innings giving up a pair of hits, Carda went 2.2 innings giving up both runs to take the loss and Abbott closed with 2.1 innings and giving up three hits.
