Japan beat Team USA 6-3 at the Softball World Cup in Oklahoma City on Sunday night. The U.S. had won every World Cup except the inaugural tournament in 2005 when Japan claimed the title. Former Mizzou players Nicole Hudson and Rhea Taylor were on Team USA. Hudson went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs while appearing in three games. Taylor was 4 for 9 and appeared in all five games with two runs scored.
After wins over Canada and Australia last week, the United States lost to Japan 7-4 on Saturday, but advanced to the finals by beating Puerto Rico 10-3 on Sunday afternoon. Down 3-0 in that game, the U.S. rallied with five runs in the third inning. Taylor led off with a single and scored and Hudson later doubled in a run to put the U.S. up 5-3 at that point.
In the rematch with Japan in the championship game, Taylor singled, but was stranded at third as the U.S. scored a run in the second inning. By then Japan had built a 5-0 lead. Hudson appeared as a pinch hitter in the sixth and drew a walk.
