![Japan downs USA by 3-1 in softball final thus obtains the gold for this event. After the victory celebration ceremony, players of both team make a '2016' pattern with the balls, wishing this event, which is planned to miss the 2012 London Games, will make its return in 2016 Olympics. [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20080822/001372acd0b50a1866a90a.jpg "Japan downs USA by 3-1 in softball final thus obtains the gold for this event. After the victory celebration ceremony, players of both team make a '2016' pattern with the balls, wishing this event, which is planned to miss the 2012 London Games, will make its return in 2016 Olympics. [Xinhua]") |
| Japan downs USA by 3-1 in softball final thus obtains the gold for this event. After the victory celebration ceremony, players of both team make a "2016" pattern with the balls, wishing this event, which is planned to miss the 2012 London Games, will make its return in 2016 Olympics. [Xinhua] |
With their strong-minded hurler's lead, Japanese hot-batting hitters took pains to seize the chance and edged the lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning. A powerful swing of Eri Yamada delivered a brilliant solo homer to boost the Japanese confidence to grab their first ever gold medal.
Crystl Bustos, American slugger who was the Olympic holder with 10 home runs up to now, added the 11th homer to her list in the bottom fourth. The sun-tanned stalwart batter sent a knee-height pitch from previously untouchable Ueno soaring up into the right field stands to narrow the gap to 2-1.
But the Japanese rallied to achieve the decisive run in the seventh inning, widening the lead to 3-1 and pushing the Americans to the verge of the cliff.
The desperate Americans failed to make miracles in the closing inning, losing their first Olympic gold medal since softball made a debut show at the Atlanta Games in 1996.