U.S. wins softball title

OKLAHOMA CITY – Stacey Nuveman and Lovieanne Jung homered off Yukiko Ueno to power the United States to the World Cup of Softball title Monday night with a 5-2 victory over Japan.

Andrea Duran also homered and Cat Osterman struck out 11 in a two-hitter as the U.S. took the first big step toward re-establishing itself as the best softball team in the world after losing three times to Japan last year, including the World Cup final. The next test comes at the world championship next month in Beijing.

The Americans scored twice early against Ueno, the Japanese ace who had been dominant against the U.S. for the past year. Nuveman then led off the fourth inning with a drive to center field, her first of the tournament, and Jung followed with a similar shot one out later.

Canada scored twice on Alison Bradley’s third-inning single and an ensuing error to claim third place wth a 2-0 win over Australia.