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Ueno just perfect in Athens softball
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Yukiko Ueno
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Yukiko Ueno pitched the first perfect game in Olympic softball history Aug. 20, leading Japan to a 2-0 win over China and a spot in the tournament semifinals.
Not one of the 21 batters the Chinese put up against Ueno were able to get to first base, the first time since the sport was admitted to the Olympics in 2000 that this has happened.
To complete China's misery, Reika Utsugi, a former Chinese national team player, drove in the winning run.
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Reika Utsugi
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"This was probably the best pitching performance in the history of the Olympics," said Chinese head coach Treshan McDonald.
On Aug. 22, Japan was beaten 3-0 by Australia and was forced to settle for a bronze medal.
The Japanese, who were hoping to go one better than their silver medal finish at the Sydney Games in 2000, lost to the Australians for the second time in the tournament in a match that put the winner into the final, handing the loser the bronze.
The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 28, 2004 (C) All rights reserved
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