U.S. softball team advances to title game

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The retirement of seven gold-medal winning Olympic veterans hasn’t slowed the U.S. softball team one bit.

Ashley Hansen became the latest rookie to come through, hitting a grand slam as the United States advanced to the World Cup of Softball championship game with an 8-0 win over Australia on Sunday.

It was the 19th straight win for a young American squad that features 10 rookies.

Jennie Finch (2-0), one of the few veterans left, struck out eight and allowed only two singles in her second spotless outing at the World Cup, where U.S. pitchers have yet to allow an earned run.

Despite losing veterans Laura Berg, Crystl Bustos, Stacey Nuveman, Lovieanne Jung, Kelly Kretschman and Jenny Topping to retirement, the U.S. went 14-0 in winning the Canada Cup this month and has hardly been challenged so far at the World Cup. The Americans have outscored opponents 48-3 and won three of their five games by the mercy rule.

The game against Australia was called after five innings.