US Stage Late Comeback Over Japan in Tune-up Before Gold Match

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - The United States beat Japan 2-1 on Monday in an inconsequential game to end round-robin play.

But the U.S. team's failure to record a hit against a third-string Japanese pitcher until the sixth inning demonstrated the challenge it faces in the gold-medal matchup between the two teams. U.S. batters did race their way into three hits and a run against Yamamoto Fujita in the sixth, and Kelsey Stewart shot a tie-breaking homer to end the game an inning later. But, as United States' 3-1 loss to Japan in the Beijing 2008 finals showed, counting on lucky hits late in the game delivers inconsistent returns. Failing to hit in key moments foiled the United States against Yukiko Ueno of Japan in 2008, the last time softball appeared at the Olympics.