Softball: Australia stun Japan at world champs

8.40pm


Australia caused a major upset by eliminating one of the favourites, Japan, from the men's world softball championship.

The Japanese, losing finalists at the last championship in 2000 and who reached the top-eight playoffs here with two lives, lost their first playoff match 1-2 to Canada last night.

Australia, playing sudden-death games in the playoff because they finished outside the top two in their pool, shocked Japan 5-0 today to earn a second playoff tonight, against the winners of the match against Samoa and the United States.

The Australians, improving with each game in the championship, sent Argentina packing yesterday with a 7-0 win.

They scored a runner in each inning from the third to the seventh from 10 hits today.

Zenon Southay, Nathan Jones, with two, Michael Tanner and Neal Delpero scored and pitcher Andrew Kirkpatrick was chiefly responsible for shutting out Japan.

He faced 30 batters, had 10 strikeouts and gave up five hits.

Kirkpatrick also closed down Argentina yesterday, facing 20 batters for 10 strikeouts and just three hits.

- NZPA

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