By Syndicated Content
By Paresh Dave
YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – United States softball swarmed their hero Amanda Chidester after her extra-inning single beat Australia 2-1 during the penultimate day of round-robin play.
The Americans could secure a date with Japan in the gold-medal match if the Olympics hosts hold off third-place Canada later on Sunday.
Tarni Stepto, Australia’s youngest player at 21, held U.S. batters to five hits over seven and 1/3 innings. Throwing nearly as fast as flamethrower and U.S. counterpart Monica Abbott, Stepto earned outs in key spots to keep the United States off the scoreboard until Chidester’s winning hit.