USA 4 AUSTRALIA 0

[PhiI C]

This is in the playoffs in the Junior Ladies' World Softball Cup. The USA plays Japan tomorrow and the winner will advance to the gold medal game while the loser plays for third place on MOnday. Japan and USA seem to be the best teams so it is possible that tomorrow's game is really for the gold with the loser getting the bronz. We will see. It is a shame that they can't get the two best teams to meet in the final. It will be sort of like USA vs Germany in the Soccer Women's World Cup even though Sweden proved a very worthy opponent to Germany in the final.

[Phil C]

So much for my prediction of the two best teams as Japan whipped the USA 8 to 0. USA is in the bronz. Softball is very popular in Japan so our young girls got to get to work if they want to compete with Japan in softball in the future. Not a good World Cup this year for our USA women since our soccer ladies lost to Germany and now our softball junior ladies lost to Japan.