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by sportswriter Zhang Rongfeng
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan beat Greece 3-2 to wrap up their third straight win here on Tuesday in Women's Softball Wolrd Championship featured as the first Olympic test event in Beijing.
Eri Yamada's single gave Japan an early lead of 1-0. Then Sachiko Ito's two-run single drove Satoko Mabuchi and Eri Yamada home, putting Japan ahead 3-0 in the first inning.
Greece rallied back until the bottom of the sixth with Lindsey Bashor and Lindsay James scored on Joannna Gail's single off Mariko Goto, who gave up two hits and two runs in the inning, but it was not enough to overturn Japan's lead.
"I haven' t thought of that. I just did what I should do in the field, and I am happy with the good result today. And I am trying my best for this championship," said infielder Rei Nishiyama.
"My coach just told me to take care of the cooperation and try our best to do it. Don' t be care of the result," added Nishiyama.
Outfielder Eri Yamada still has not met her parents who are in Beijing today. "No, not yet (to meet my parents). I haven' t got the extra time to meet them. I felt a little bit nervous because of that," Yamada told.
"I think my performance just so so. I am always paying attention to catching any opportunity in the game. And I will never let the chance be gone."
Japan's ace pitcher Yukiko Ueno said she did some shopping with her teammates before the game.
"We all adapted well to Beijing' s climate. We adjusted ourselves very quickly to this game. I think we will do better and better in the future," the famous pitcher said.
The World Softball Championship is the first Olympic test event in Beijing with 16 teams competing in two pools, which will produce four spots (excluding China, the host) participating Beijing 2008 Olympics.
The 2008 Olympic softball tournament will be the last for at least eight years. Softball first featured as a medal sport at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, but it was removed from the Olympic events for 2012 London Olympics. Enditem
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