Softball: White Sox playoff hopes hammered

After two marathon encounters the woman softballers had no reply to the powerful Chinese on Tuesday night.

A subdued New Zealand could do little to prevent a 10-0 routing by China and will now be hard-pressed to make the playoffs in the Olympic women's softball tournament.

It was a disappointing sequel for the White Sox who had shown plenty to enthuse about in their opening two games. They now probably need to tip over top nations Japan or the United States to make the medal rounds.

New Zealand used their full complement of four pitchers in an effort to control China's ability to consistently get bat on ball. But it was to no avail as they were hit out of the game.

The White Sox reply with the bat made sombre reading with Fiona Timu and Jackie Smith getting the only safe hits of the night. In comparison China had 10.

New Zealand had trouble on the plate and found the skills of pitcher Lihong Wang too hot to handle. China were clinical and thorough in all aspects of the game, and dominated a lacklustre New Zealand, who failed to fire a shot.

A marathon two games on the pitching mound - where the 2-3 loss to Australia and 3-2 win over Canada, both of which went to 10 innings - took its toll on No 1 hurler Gina Weber.

The veteran pitcher, who exceeded expectations with her stamina against Australia and Canada, was replaced by Wellington's Ruta Lealamanua at the bottom of the fourth inning with China 2-0 ahead.

China captain Ying Wang had slugged an automatic home run over the left outfield fence off Weber to also score Fang Yan and open the scoring in the third inning.

The right-handed Lealamanua found the going just as tough. She failed to stem the flow, conceding another two runs and was replaced by the left-handed Timu after pitching just one inning.

Utility Timu, who only converted to pitching duties earlier this year, had a nightmare time on the mound when four more runs were conceded and China had an impressive 8-0 lead after five completed innings.

Timu was replaced by fellow utility Jaye Bailey, of Christchurch, in the sixth inning.

New Zealand's misery was complete and Bailey hardly warmed up when Wang blasted her second automatic home run to add a further two to the total. Under international rules the game was then called off.

"We got well and truly thumped tonight and we've got to live with that and take it. There's no excuses," New Zealand coach Mike Walsh said.

When New Zealand realised any chance of winning the game had vanished, Walsh said the decision was made to rest Weber with a view to the remainder of the tournament.

It had been a deliberate policy to give all the pitchers game time after that.

The White Sox play their fourth match in the tournament against Cuba on Wednesday morning.

- NZPA