Defending champions USA overpowered Australia 5-1 Tuesday afternoon to enter the grand final tonight against Japan. Australia finished third in the tournament.

 

USA collected 12 hits off two Australian pitchers, but it's the Aussies who took the lead first when Stacey Porter posted the first homer of the game off Catherine Osterman with two outs, giving Australia a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

 

The Americans soon leveled the score with a RBI single by Laura Berg in the bottom of the second inning. And Crystl Bustos' double helped USA outscore Australia 2-1 in the third.

 

Andrea Duran added one more run in the fifth and singled to drive Jessica Mendoza home. Thanks to the two-run homer from Crysl Bustos in the sixth inning, the Americans closed the game 5-1.

 

Ace pitcher Catherine Osterman of the USA tossed a complete game and allowed only two hits with ten strikeouts and one walk.

 

The Australian starter Melanie Roche gave up six hits and walked two in the first two innings. Reliever Tanya Harding struck out three and allowed six hits.

 

 

 

Issued by: News Service, Organizing Committee