US beats Australia, sets up likely title rematch with Japan

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The United States had just given up its first run and was two outs away from losing for the first time in the Olympic softball tournament.

Amanda Chidester stepped up to the plate with two runners on and slapped the ball into left field.

“In my head, I'm like: Score! Score two! Score two! Score two!” she recalled. “When I got up and everyone was running out at me, I was like, We did it!”

Pinch-runner Ally Carda and Haylie McCleney came across the plate on Chidester's eighth-inning single, giving the United States a pulsating 2-1 victory over Australia on Sunday and a likely rematch with defending champion Japan in Tuesday's gold medal game.

Monica Abbott (2-0) struck out 13 and threw a three-hitter in a 126-pitch complete game, giving up an unearned run when Jade Wall walked on eight pitches with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to force home the automatic runner.

With pinch-runner Ally Carda on second as the automatic runner in the bottom half, leadoff hitter McCleney reached against Tarni Stepto (0-1) with an infield single on a 1-0 pitch. McCleney hit a two-hopper to shortstop Clare Warwick, who set her feet before throwing, allowing McCleney to get on base for the fourth time in the game. She is batting .727 (8 for 11) and has reached 13 times in 15 plate appearances.

Janie Reed, the wife of major league reliever Jake Reed, sacrificed for the fourth time in the tournament, putting runners at second and third.

“Give me a strike, and I’m going for it,” Chidester recalled thinking to herself.

She swung at a pitch on the outer half of the plate and singled sharply past a diving Warwick. Wall picked up the ball two steps onto the outfield grass and heaved home, but first baseman Taylah Tsitsikorinis cut off the throw as Carda and...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/US-beats-Australia-sets-up-likely-title-rematch-16338031.php