Yukiko Ueno pitched a four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts as Japan won its third straight game against the United States in a 3-0 victory to claim its first title at the Japan Cup softball tournament on Sunday.
The Athens Olympic gold medal winning U.S. team has lost three straight against Japan, the Olympic bronze medalist, after its stunning defeat at the inaugural World Cup of Softball earlier this month.
Japan finished the competition with a 4-0 record while the U.S. team dropped to 2-2.
In a playoff for third place, China defeated Australia 2-0.