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Italy stuns China in softball, 7-5
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-16 07:32
Jennifer Spediacci, a Californian and former All-American at Washington,
pitched a shutout into the fifth inning Sunday, and Italy hung on for a stunning
7-5 victory over China, one of the medal favorites.
Italy starting
pitcher Jennifer Spediacci throws against China Sunday, Aug. 15, 2004, at
the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. | Staked to a 6-0 lead in the second inning, Spediacci allowed just two hits
through four innings before China, silver medal winners in 1996, rallied with a
five-run fifth.
China won its opener over Greece 5-0 Saturday.
In another game, Hiroko Sakai pitched a two-hitter to lead Japan past Taiwan
6-0. Noriko Yamaji had three hits as Japan bounced back from a shaky debut, a
4-2 loss to Australia on Saturday. The Japanese scored four runs in the second
inning — three with two outs — when Taiwan made three errors.
The United States, coming off a resounding 7-0 win over Italy in its debut,
plays Australia at 5 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EDT). The Americans are seeking
their third straight gold medal.
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