Softball at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Softball was a women's sporting event at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Games were played at the softball stadium in the Helliniko Olympic Complex from August 14 to 23. The United States won the gold while Australia took silver and Japan received bronze.

Softball was one of the three sports at the 2004 Athens Olympics that was for women only along with Synchronized Swimming and Rhythmic Gymnastics. Eight teams competed for the gold medal in only the third appearance of softball at the Summer Olympics. The softball competition featured 120 athletes.

Japanese pitcher Yukiko Ueno threw a perfect gameTemplate:Em dashthe first at an Olympics’ softball competitionTemplate:Em dashin a preliminary round match against China.<ref>ABC "Beijing 2008 Softball"</ref> The United States dominated the overall competition, winning all seven of its preliminary matches and defeating Australia twice in the medal round.

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Template:FlagIOCteam Leah Amico Laura Berg Crystl Bustos Lisa Fernandez Jennie Finch Tairia Flowers Amanda Freed Lori Harrigan Lovieanne Jung Kelly Kretschman Jessica Mendoza Stacey Nuveman Cat Osterman Jenny Topping Natasha Watley	Template:FlagIOCteam Sandra Allen Marissa Carpadios Fiona Crawford Amanda Doman Peta Edebone Tanya Harding Natalie Hodgskin Simmone Morrow Tracey Mosley Stacey Porter Melanie Roche Natalie Titcume Natalie Ward Brooke Wilkins Kerry Wyborn	Template:FlagIOCteam Emi Inui Kazue Ito Yumi Iwabuchi Masumi Mishina Emi Naito Haruka Saito Hiroko Sakai Naoko Sakamoto Rie Sato Yuki Sato Juri Takayama Yukiko Ueno Reika Utsugi Eri Yamada Noriko Yamaji

In one of the most dominating runs in softball history, the United States team led by head coach Mike Candrea won the gold medal by defeating Australia 5-1 in the championship game on August 23. It was the first time in 9 games that an opponent scored a run against Team USA. Crystl Bustos hit two home runs to provide all the run-support that pitcher Lisa Fernandez required. Fernandez pitched all six innings, picking up her second win against Australia in as many days. She also won the semi-final game.

Throughout the tournament Team USA outscored its opponents 51-1. Team USA won the Olympic gold medal in softball for the third straight time.

Australia's silver medal marks its best result in Olympic softball history. Japan earned the bronze medal after defeating China in the semi-final, and losing to Australia in the Bronze medal game.

Participants

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Results

File:Athens Softball Stadium Abandoned 2018.jpg

Olympic Softball Stadium at the Helliniko Olympic Complex - shown abandoned in November 2018.

Starting August 14, there were four preliminary games each day until August 20 for a total of 28 games. Two semi-final games were played August 22, with the game for third place following later that day. The final game for the gold medal was played on August 23 at 4pm local time.

Standings

Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	Pct
Template:FlagIOC	7	7	0	41	0	1.000
Template:FlagIOC	7	6	1	22	14	0.857
Template:FlagIOC	7	4	3	17	8	0.571
Template:FlagIOC	7	3	4	15	20	0.429
Template:FlagIOC	7	3	4	6	14	0.429
Template:FlagIOC	7	2	5	3	13	0.286
Template:FlagIOC	7	2	5	6	24	0.286
Template:FlagIOC	7	1	6	8	24	0.143

Preliminary round

August 16

09:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	0	4	0		4	4	0
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	4	2
W: Zhang Lixia (1-0) L: Lauren Bay (1-1)
Home Run
none

12:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		R	H	E
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3		3	3	0
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	3
W: Catherine Osterman (1-0) L: Juri Takayama (0-1)
Home Run
none

17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy	0	0	0	0	1	0	0		1	6	0
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece	2	0	0	0	0	0	X		2	5	3
W: Sarah Farnworth (2-1) L: Susan Bugliarello (0-1)
Home Run
none

19:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Taiwan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	0
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	0	1	0	0	X		1	4	0
W: Wu Chia-Yen (0-2) L: Tanya Harding (2-0)
Home Run
none

August 17

09:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	1
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	2	1	0	0	1	0	X		4	5	1
W: Lori Harrigan (1-0) L: Zhang Lixia (1-1)
Home Run
USA 1 : C.Bustos in 5th, 1 RBI

12:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		R	H	E
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		1	1	2
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	1
W: Lauren Bay (2-1) L: Yukiko Ueno (0-2)
Home Run
none

17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Taiwan	0	0	0	0	0	0	2		2	3	1
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece	0	0	0	1	0	0	X		0	5	1
W: Lai Sheng-Jung (1-0) L: Sarah Farnworth (2-2)
Home Run
none

19:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	2	2	2	0	2		8	10	1
File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	1
Game end by Run Ahead Rule
W: Melanie Roche (1-0) L: Jennifer Spediacci (0-1)
Home Run
AUS 2 : S.Porter in 1st, 2 RBI;N.Titcume in 5th, 2 RBI

August 18

09:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	5	1
File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Taiwan	0	0	0	1	0	0	X		1	4	0
W: Lin Su-Hua (1-1) L: Susan Bugliarello (0-2)
Home Run
none

12:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5		5	4	0
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	2
W: Melanie Roche (2-0) L: Lu Wei (1-1)
Home Run
none

17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	1
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	1	2	1	2	1		7	11	1
Game ended by Run Ahead Rule
W: Jennie Finch (2-0) L: Auburn Sigurdson (0-1)
Home Run
USA 2 : C.Bustos in 4th, 1 RBI;L.Fernandez in 4th, 1 RBI

19:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	3	1	0	0	0	2		6	12	1
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece	0	0	0	0	0	0	X		0	2	3
W: Hiroko Sakai (2-0) L: Sarah Farnworth (2-3)
Home Run
none

August 19

09:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Taiwan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	2
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	1	0	X		1	4	0
W: Lu Wei (2-1) L: Lai Sheng-Jung (1-1)
Home Run
none

12:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	1
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	0	0	1	3	3		7	9	0
Game ended by Run Ahead Rule
W: Lisa Fernandez (2-0) L: Stephanie Skegas-Maxwell (0-1)
Home Run
none

17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	0
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		1	8	1
W: Yukiko Ueno (1-2) L: Jennifer Spediacci (1-2)
Home Run
none

19:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	1	0	0	0	0	0		1	4	0
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	5	0
W: Melanie Roche (3-0) L: Lauren Bay (2-2)
Home Run
none

August 20

09:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	0
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada	0	0	0	1	0	0	X		1	1	1
W: Lauren Bay (3-2) L: Susan Bugliarello (0-3)
Home Run
none

12:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Taiwan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	4	2
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	0	0	0	1	1	1	X		3	8	1
W: Catherine Osterman (2-0) L: Wu Chia-Yen (0-3)
Home Run
USA 1 : C.Bustos in 4th, 1 RBI

17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece	2	0	0	0	0	0	0		2	4	2
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	1	2	0	0	X		3	7	1
W: Tanya Harding (3-0) L: Sarah Farnworth (2-4)
Home Run
AUS 2 : T.Mosley in 4th, 2 RBI;S.Porter in 3rd, 1 RBI

19:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	0	0	1	1	X		2	8	0
W: Yukiko Ueno (1-2)** L: Lu Wei (2-2)
Home Run
none

** Perfect game

Medal round

The semi-final game between the #3 and #4 ranked teams (Japan and China) is an elimination game, with the loser out. The winner faces the loser of the other semifinal in the bronze medal game later Sunday night. The loser of the bronze medal game received the bronze medal. The winner of that game faces the winner of the Australia versus the United States semifinal in the gold medal game, with the winner of that game receiving gold and the loser receiving silver.

Semifinals

August 22 9:30

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		R	H	E
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		1	6	0
File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	4
W: Yukiko Ueno (2-2) L: Lu Wei (2-3)
Home Run
none

August 22 12:20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	0
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	0	0	0	1	3	1	x		5	8	0
W: Lisa Fernandez (3-0) L: Melanie Roche (3-1)
Home Run
USA: K. Kretschman in 6th, 1 RBI

Bronze medal game

August 22 17:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	0	0	3	0	0		3	4	0
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	1
W: Tanya Harding (4-0) L: Juri Takayama (1-2)
Home Run
none

Gold medal game

August 23 16:00

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
File:Flag of Australia.svg Australia	0	0	0	0	0	1	0		1	4	1
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States	3	0	2	0	0	0	x		5	9	0
W: Lisa Fernandez (4-0) L: Tanya Harding (4-1)
Home Run
USA : C.Bustos in 1st, 2 RBI; C.Bustos in 3rd, 1 RBI; S.Nuveman in 3rd, 1 RBI

See also

• Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics

External links

• Official result book – Softball