U.S. softball team defies critics, almost loses

BEIJING -- Softball is out of the Olympics after this year for one main reason -- the U.S. softball team is too good for the competition.

The U.S. softball players, of course, have been arguing that that's not true.

They almost proved their point Wednesday, needing extra innings to beat Japan, 4-1, in the semifinals.

The two teams were tied after seven, forcing them into an international tiebreaker. Both teams were allowed to begin their halves of the extra innings with a runner at second.

The United States quickly capitalized in the ninth with a three-run home run by Crystl Bustos of Canyon Country.

This is the fourth Games in which softball has been in the Olympics. The United States will be going for its fourth gold medal. The Americans have lost games before, three of them, in fact, in Sydney in 2000. But they haven't lost since.

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Crystl Bustos after tossing aside her bat, knowing she had hit a home run. The three-run blast won the game for the U.S. Credit: Charlie Riedel / Associated Press

Comments

[DUKE]

Is Bustos a man? Have you heard "her" talk? Watch "her" walk. Watch "her" run....???

[softball fan]

Really DUKE??? don't be jealous that she has skills and talent that you could only dream about in your sleep. She is an amazing athlete with more gold metals than you probably have teeth, you should be amazed. :) and to your ???'s YES, YES, and YES to all of them.

[Mr. Magoo]

I must see my eye doctor. It seems there was an outside strike zone of Maddux proportion in both games.