Asian Games: Japan edges China in softball opener

DOHA, Dec. 10 Kyodo

Emi Naito hit a two-run single and Mariko Masubuchi threw a complete game as Japan edged China 3-2 on the opening day of the Asian Games softball tournament Sunday.

Naito pushed Japan's lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning when she singled to right with two outs and runners on second and third after Satoko Mabuchi opened the scoring with a fourth-inning RBI single.

Right-hander Masubuchi allowed China to score one run each in the sixth and seventh, but struck out Yu Yanhong with two outs and runners on first and second for the final out of the game at the Al-Rayyan baseball and softball venue.

Earlier in the day, Taiwan defeated South Korea 7-0 in six innings under the tournament's mercy rule in its opener of the five-nation round-robin preliminary round.

North Korea is the only other team in the softball tournament in Doha.

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