OKLAHOMA CITY — Yuki Hayashi went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Japan beat the United States 6-3 on Sunday night to win the gold medal in the eighth World Cup of Softball, ending the long reign of the Americans in the international event.
Yuka Ichiguchi tripled and drove in two runs for Japan, which beat the U.S. for the second time in as many days and extended its winning streak over the Americans to three games. Japan also beat the U.S. in the gold-medal game of last year’s world championships.
The six runs surrendered by the U.S. matched the second-most it had ever allowed in a major international tournament. Japan beat the U.S. 7-4 on Saturday to set that record.
Lauren Gibson homered for the U.S., which had won the last six World Cups since Japan took the inaugural event in 2005. That also was the last time the U.S. lost twice in the World Cup.