U.S. Softball Team Loses To Japan
The United States softball team lost for the first time since 2000 by Japan’s team. They lost by 3-1 in the Olympics and lost their chance to secure the gold medal. The U.S. team did not manage to lead at all during the game and made two fatal errors that took them down during the seventh inning.
When Caitlin Lowe grounded to third for the final out, Vicky Galindo, who led off the U.S. team’s seventh inning with a pinch-hit single, wrapped her hands over her helmet and cringed. Moments later, U.S. coach Mike Candrea huddled his stunned players, many of whom couldn’t even look up. Lowe choked back tears as slugger Crystl Bustos tried to console her overwhelmed teammates.
Bustos, who homered in the fourth for the Americans’ only run, was first in line to congratulate the Japanese players. As she shook hands with the U.S. team, Japan catcher Yukiyo Mine was overcome by tears. “You don’t want it to end this way, but it’s all we could do,” said Bustos, who attended the medal ceremony wearing sunglasses.