SOFTBALL
U.S. ending Olympic run with bang
With softball out of the Olympics in 2012, the U.S. has taken its anger and its frustration with the International Olympic Committee out on its opponents.
In going 7-0 in round-robin play, the Americans scored 53 runs on 63 hits. Their three pitchers tossed six shutouts, including three no-hitters, allowing only one run on five hits. On Monday, it was DePaul assistant softball coach Cat Osterman pitching a one-hitter in a 9-0 victory over China.
Some are blaming that as the reason softball got the ax for the London Games.
The U.S. has won all three gold medals awarded in the sport since it was added to the Olympics in 1996. In Athens four years ago, the Americans outscored opponents 51-1 in going 9-0. The Americans haven’t lost a game in the Olympics since 2000 when Australia beat them 2-1 in 13 innings.
The Americans play Japan in the semifinals Wednesday. The gold-medal game is Thursday.
U.S. rides off with the gold again
EQUESTRIAN: The U.S. successfully defended its gold medal in the team show jumping. McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Will Simpson and Beezie Madden took it to a tiebreaker before beating Canada for the gold.
American men to take on Serbia
VOLLEYBALL: The U.S. men’s team is the only undefeated squad (3-0). They beat Japan 3-0 and play Serbia in the quarterfinals.
U.S. has fewer oars in water
CANOE/KAYAK: Rami Zur of U.S. rallied to finish sixth in his nine-boat heat in the men’s single kayak to make Wednesday’s semifinals. No American made the qualifying rounds in the other five disciplines.
2 Americans make semifinals
DIVING: The U.S. qualified two into the men’s 3-meter springboard semifinals — Chris Colwill in seventh and Troy Dumais in 12th. China holds the top two spots.
Bike leg does in American
TRIATHLON: American Laura Bennett led after the swim but lost it in bike riding before rallying in running to finish 16 seconds short of a medal in fourth. Sarah Haskins was 11th.
ALSO: In the women’s cycling points race, Sarah Hammer couldn’t avoid a crash and hit the ground, suffering a broken left collarbone. Jennie Reed lost in the match sprint quarterfinals to Willy Kanis of the Netherlands. … The U.S. women’s field hockey team, which accomplished a lot just by qualifying, finished 1-1-3 after a 0-0 tie with Britain. … After the technical routine in synchronized swimming, the U.S. team of Christina Jones and Andrea Nott is fifth. … Stuart McNay and Graham Biehl were 13th in men’s 470 two-person dinghy while Americans Amanda Clark and Sara Mergenthaler were 12th in the women’s sailing event.
