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The Canadian Olympic softball team was leading the United States 1-0 after three innings on Thursday at the Beijing Olympics before a second bout of thunderstorms prohibited the final innings from being completed. Canada faces host China Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. (Central) and is scheduled to finish the Team USA game following the Americans' 11 p.m. contest with Japan.
Fans can watch NU Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel, junior pitcher Robin Mackin and former Husker Sheena Lawrick in their battle against China by clicking here. Fans can also watch Canada attempt to pull off the upset of Team USA on NBCOlympics.com and the conclusion of the game will also be carried on one of the NBC family of networks, most likely CNBC or the USA Network. The Canada-USA game will resume with the United States batting with nobody on and no outs in the top of the fourth inning.
The soggy weather put a damper on what was an otherwise solid start for the Canadains against Team USA.
After the U.S. was held scoreless in the top of the first, Canada took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame on a one-out sacrifice fly. The one-run deficit marked the first time the United States had trailed in more than 71 innings of Olympic play, a streak totaling 11 consecutive games that dated back to another 1-0 deficit in the gold medal game of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Overall, Team USA entered the game having outscored its last 11 Olympic opponents by a whopping 65-1 margin dating back to the start of the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The Canadians' run also snapped Team USA's Olympic scoreless streak at 13.1 innings dating back to the gold medal game of the 2004 Olympics. The run also marked the first time the Americans had allowed a run in pool play since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a streak totaling nine straight games and more than 56 consecutive scoreless innings.
Energized by its 1-0 lead, Canada retired the United States in order in the top of the second before a lengthy 1:46 rain delay spoiled the Canadians' early momentum. The teams were able to complete the second and third innings before another bout of thunderstorms delayed the game further and forced the contest to be suspended.
The United States is the three-time defending Olympic gold medalist and the Americans are currently riding a 16-game Olympic winning streak.