Softball Japan Cup Ace Ueno returns to actual battle August 30 22:27

The Japan Cup, the international softball tournament, began in Gunma Prefecture on the 30th, and pitcher Yukiko Ueno, who had left the national team due to a serious injury, returned to actual battle for the first time in about four months and held one inning without any penalty.

The Japan Cup, which started in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, is an international tournament that involves four teams, Japan and the United States, and Taiwan and the Czech Republic. It will be the last official match against rival America that will compete for gold medals at the next Tokyo Olympics. It is an important opportunity to narrow down the members.

On the 30th, Japan, which ranked 2nd in the world ranking, played against Czech Republic, which ranked 15th in the first round of the round robin league.

The match was scored from the beginning and the lead was 13-0, four times, and in April the pitcher Ueno, who was hit by a hit ball hit the chin, climbed the third.

Pitcher Ueno, who returned to the actual battle for the first time in about four months, was hit with Uchino hits at the head, but after that, the pitching centered on fastball was held down to three consecutive strikeouts. The match was won four times in Japan by 13-0.

On the 31st, we will face the world's top ranked US and the sixth ranked Taiwan.

Pitcher Ueno “One Inning worth”

The Japanese ace, Yukiko Ueno, who returned from a serious injury and kept one inning without losing points, said, “Because there was a point difference, I went up to the mound with the consciousness of how much I could pitch. I could n’t throw it and I could n’t afford it, so the evaluation was about 30 ”.

After that, “I was able to show the cheerful figure to the director and the fans, and I thought it was good to come back. It was a valuable inning. I started again from here, so I want to do my best tomorrow.” It was.

Director Utsugi “Relieved”

Softball Japan National Team manager Reika Utsugi said Ayuko Ueno pitcher, who returned to the actual battle, said, “I was relieved to stand on the mound. I want you to do it. "