Live Updates Gold Medal Softball Game: Team USA vs. Japan
HOOVER, Ala. — The teams are going for the gold at the Hoover Met.
It's the matchup everyone's been waiting for. USA vs. Japan, a rematch of the gold medal game at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics where the Japanese came away with gold both times.
Now, in the finals of the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Team USA has the opportunity to come away with the gold on home soil.
Both teams are undefeated in the World Games and have dominated their opponents. USA has wins over Italy, Chinese Taipei, Canada and Australia. In the four games, the Eagles are outscoring opponents 28-2 in the four games. Japan has picked up wins over Australia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Chinese Taipei, outscoring opponents 29-1.
First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Alabama softball radio play-by-play man Gray Robertson and former Alabama outfielder Kayla Braud on the call.
Team USA Starting Lineup
1. Haylie McCleney- CF
2. Amanda Lorenze- LF
3. Hannah Flippen- SS
4. Charla Echols- 3B
5. Bubba Nickles- RF
6. Dejah Mulipola- C
7. Taylor Pleasants- 1B
8. Kinzie Hansen- DP
9. Janae Jefferson- 2B
Starting pitcher- Monica Abbott
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Live Updates
FINAL: USA 3, Japan 2
Top 7- Japan batting
- A soft popup in the infield ends it. Team USA wins the gold!
- Make that five strikeouts in a row for Carda. Japan is down to its final out.
- Carda bounces back from a 3-0 count to get the Japanese batter with three straight strikes. She's up to six strikeouts.
- Team USA needs three outs here to get the gold medal.
Bottom 6- USA batting
END 6: USA 3, Japan 2
- Nothing doing for the Eagles in the sixth. Three quick outs.
- USA looking to add a little insurance here in the sixth.
Top 6- Japan batting
MID 6: USA 3, Japan 2
- Three straight strikeouts for Carda in the frame.
- Back to back strikeouts for Carda.
- Carda follows up a leadoff walk with a strikeout.
Bottom 5- USA batting
END 5: USA 3, Japan 2
- Three quick outs for Team USA in the fifth.
Top 5- Japan batting
MID 5: USA 3, Japan 2
- Carda freezes Harada at the plate with a called strike three. USA gets out of the inning, still holding the lead.
- A sac bunt moves the runner into scoring position with two outs.
- Carda gets a swinging strikeout for the first out of the inning.
- Sakamoto singles past a diving Echols to bring in another Japanese run. USA 3, Japan 2
- A passed ball allows the Japanese runner to reach third with not outs.
- After the double, USA makes a call to the bullpen. Ally Carda is now in to pitch for the Eagles.
- Leadoff double for Japan.
Bottom 4- USA batting
END 4: USA 3, Japan 1
- McCleney pops out on the first pitch. Now, it was Team USA's turn to leave the bases loaded.
- Jefferson draws a walk to load the bases for McCleney.
- After a lengthy at-bat, Hansen draws a walk. Japan will have a meeting in the circle as the U.S. now has two runners on with two outs.
- Pleasants lines one out to right field, and it drops in. However, Mulipola had to hold up while the ball was in the air, and is thrown out at second.
- Mulipola chops one in just the right spot and reaches with a one-out infield single.
- Montana Fouts is out warming up in the bullpen.
Top 4- Japan batting
MID 4: USA 3, Japan 1
- Japan has now left 10 runners on base through four innings.
- Another ground ball ends the frame. Two more Japanese runners stranded.
- After Fujita is hit by a pitch, Japan has runners on the corners with two outs.
- Abbott picks up her third strikeout for the second out of the inning.
- A passed ball by Mulipola allows Ishikawa to reach third with just one out.
- Ishikawa hits one all the way out to the centerfield wall for a one-out double.
Bottom 3- USA batting
END 3: USA 3, Japan 1
- Three up, three down for Team USA in the third.
Top 3- Japan batting
MID 3: USA 3, Japan 1
- A ground ball back to the pitcher limits the damage, and Japans leaves the bases loaded for the second inning in a row.
- Japan singles out to right field, but Nickles quickly gets it in to prevent a run from scoring. Bases loaded with two outs now.
- An HBP puts two runners on with two outs.
- The wild pitch proves costly as a single up the middle from Naito scores the runner from second. Japan gets a run back. USA 3, Japan 1
- A wild pitch moves the runner into scoring position with two outs.
- A ground ball gets the lead runner. Two outs.
- Fujita reaches with a one-out single.
Bottom 2- USA batting
END 2: USA 3, Japan 0
- McCleney flies out to left field for the final out, but the USA puts three on the board in the second.
- Jefferson comes through in the clutch for Team USA. She scorches a ball up the middle that rolls all the way to the wall, and all three runners come in to score. USA takes the 3-0 lead.
- Hansen goes down swinging, and Team USA is down to its final out in the inning.
- Pleasants hits a ground ball to second, and Japan comes home to get the lead runner out.
- Mulipola singles out to centerfield. Bases loaded, nobody out for Pleasants. USA chants are breaking out at the Hoover Met as Japan takes a meeting on the mound.
- Nickles draws a walk, and Team USA has two runners on with nobody out.
- Echols sneaks one through the right side for a leadoff single.
Top 2- Japan batting
MID 2: USA 0, Japan 0
- USA gets out of the frame without giving up any runs. A groundout to short leaves the bases loaded for Japan.
- A walk to Harada loads the bases for Japan.
- The runner steals second with no throw. Two runners in scoring position with two outs.
- Fujimoto lays down a perfect bunt right in front of the plate to reach on an infield single. Runners on the corners with two outs for the top of Japan's order.
- A sac bunt moves the runner into scoring position with two outs.
- Sakamoto sends a one-out single up the middle for Japan's first hit.
Bottom 1- USA batting
END 1: USA 0, Japan 0
- Flippen grounds out to the pitcher, and despite the leadoff hit from McCleney, it's an easy 1-2-3 inning for Sakura Miwa.
- And it's quickly erased by a double play off the bat of Lorenz on the first pitch she sees.
- McCleney continues her on-base streak with a leadoff single.
Top 1- Japan batting
MID 1: USA 0, Japan 0
- A swinging strikeout gets Abbott out of the jam, and Japan stays off the board in the first.
- A flyout goes for the second out.
- Abbott gets a ball hit back to her, and calmly makes the trow to second base to get the lead runner.
- Japan gets its leadoff batter on with a fielding error from Echols.
- The first pitch from Abbott is a strike, and this game is underway.
Pregame
- Still a few minutes before first pitch, and this is by far the largest crowd at the Hoover Met so far in the World Games. I would estimate at least 5,000 people are already in here.
- Abbott, Ally Carda, McCleney, Michelle Moultire, Mulipola and Nickles were all part of the Olympic team that lost to Japan last summer.
- Monica Abbott gets the start in the circle for Team USA.
- The Eagles are the designated home team for this final softball game of the World Games.
- Team USA is donning the all red unforms with navy socks while Team Japan is wearing all white with red socks.
Team Japan Starting Lineup
1. Nodoka Harada- CF
2. Kyoko Ishikawa- LF
3. Yuka Ichiguchi- SS
4. Yamtao Fujita- DP
5. Hitomi Kawabata- 2B
6. Minori Naito- 1B
7. Yui Sakamoto- 3B
8. Yume Kirishi- C
9. Urara Fujimoto- RF
Starting pitcher- Sakura Miwa
