Australia has narrowly fallen 0-1 to the United States in one of the games of the World Cup so far.

The Aussie Spirit went through their pitching ranks in an effort to unsettle the US hitters, needing an eighth inning to find a difference between the two nations.

Tamieka Whitefield led the Australian batting lineup and went behind in the count. After watching a second ball sail through to the catcher, Whitefield kept herself in it with a foul on the 2-2 count and earned a walk for her efforts to start Australia’s inning well.

Taylah Tsitsikronis and Shannon Keevers both made efforts to advance Whitefield but came up short.

Whitefield managed to steal second with Kylie Steemers at the plate but the Aussies were unable to convert.

A solid opening bat against a US team that is yet to allow an opposition score from two hits allowed in two games.

In the bottom of the first, the US looked to get a hot start against starting pitcher Kaia Parnaby. Aubrey Leach earned a walk before Parnaby could settle in the middle, and Hannah Flippen quickly fell behind in the count.

Looking for the strikeout on the 2-2 count, Parnaby put one in the zone and Flippen connected fiercely with the ball, sending it deep over centre field. But Jade Wall was up to the task, taking the catch no more than a foot from the fence and saving the home run. Leach was rounding second as Wall denied the homer and had to scramble back to first.

Three pitches later and behind 2-0 in the count, Australia’s defence stepped up to make a huge double play. Alison Aguilar drove one down the middle that looked like it might sneak through to the outfield.

Whitefield dove towards second base to both collect the ball and tag the base in one silky smooth motion, before twisting on the spot to make the throw while still kneeling for the double play at first and end the inning.

To open the second, Clare Warwick was quick to find something hittable but couldn’t find a gap and was ground out 5-3. Wall had more luck against Megan Faraimo with her single to shortstop and the opening hit against the US.

Pippa Adkins came out swinging in an effort to make something of Wall’s single but struck out, and Belinda White fancied her chances but was caught in left field.

Australia kept their defensive prowess through the bottom of the second, allowing one more hit but containing the US offence once more.

It was much the same for the Spirit with the bat in the top of the third. Shannon Keevers was walked but otherwise the Aussies were refused any further opportunities.

Parnaby was relieved by Ellen Roberts in the bottom of the third and thus began the curious case of the five pitches and their scoreless seven-inning run. Roberts faced five hitters and took one strikeout for the inning.

In the top of the fourth, the Aussies went three up, three down, but not before Steemers had the opportunity to face nine pitches – hitting five fouls in her efforts to break down Faraimo’s game.

Roberts then returned to the middle to strikeout Sahvanna Jaquish, before Jocelyn Alo found a gap to hit a second-pitch single to third base.

Maya “Brady” Timmons was next to face Roberts and it was quickly a pitchers count. But Brady worked her way back to 2-2 and kept the at bat going with two fouls.

The hit came but Whitefield was all over it, collecting the bouncing ball to tag Alo and hurry the throw to Tsitsikronis for another double play.

Adkins got straight to it in the fifth, attacking the first pitch to be caught by centre field. White followed, striking out quick before Olivia Kuzminski hit four fouls as the Australians continued to attack the pitching of Faraimo.

Into the bottom of the inning and it was another pitching change for Australia, Kandra Lamb coming in to relieve Roberts and the Aussies set an aggressive field.

Aliyah Andrews went straight for the bunt and it lofted just enough for Warwick to get under it, hustling from just inside third base to make the catch.

Lamb backed the quick out to strikeout Nicole Bates before the Spirit made quick work of Leach.

The sixth was more of the same from both Australia and their nemesis in the middle, Faraimo. Whitefield almost caught a break as the right fielder had to scramble to catch a fly in the gap behind first.

Keevers was next to the plate but couldn’t beat the throw on the infield hit, before Tsitsikronis struck out looking.

Laing looked to the bench once more in the bottom of the sixth, bringing on Grace Wrixon to relieve Lamb. Wrixon’s first delivery was a strike before a change-up that got Flippen to bite, the ground ball collected in stride by Warwick to make the out at first.

Wrixon then went 2-2 against Aguilar and delivered an absolute diamond to strike out the number three hitter for the USA.

Kiara Robinson-Milloy was next and got ahead in the count 3-0 but Wrixon composed herself and threw a rocket along the outside edge to bring one back in the count. Her final pitch was a little high and Robinson-Milloy made good contact, but Adkins had the lightning reactions to make the diving catch.

Faraimo continued her impressive day, taking two more strikeouts as the US allowed nothing for Australia.

Into the seventh, Australia made their fifth and final change in the middle as Georgia Hood came in to relieve Wrixon.

Hood’s first pitch was driven high to right field, allowing Keevers to take the easy catch. Alo then tried to squeeze one by the ever-present Whitefield between first and second – but Whitefield was clean as you like to throw the out at first.

Maya Timmons was the last to face Hood, getting to 2-2 in the count before driving one to left field for Adkins to catch in-stride and send the game to a tiebreaker.

Wall stepped on to second base as the tie break runner with Adkins up to the plate to hit a second ball fly for the first out.

White was next and fell to 0-2 in the count before White’s hit down the line to first was caught by Timmons, who then made the double play to second. So fast was the hit to the glove of Timmons, Wall was unable to scramble back to base.

In the bottom of the eighth Hood remained in the centre for Australia, while Mia Davidson came in as the pinch hitter as the US looked to be aggressive. Davidson then earned a leadoff walk to put two on base for the US.

Bates advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, before Leach was walked by Hood, loading the bases with one out.

Flippen needed just one pitch to find the single to left field allowing Timmons to come home for the score to secure the hard-fought win for the United States.

Australia came agonisingly close to pulling off the upset of the Group Stage so far in a thrilling defensive duel and will feel no shame whatsoever in their defeat. After four games played, Australia is 2-2, sitting equal third with Chinese Taipei who are up next in the final game of the Group Stage.

With Ireland’s loss to Great Britain, Australia cannot finish lower than fourth, and so Friday night’s game against Chinese Taipei will be a preview of the third vs fourth Semi Final that will take place on Saturday evening.

Rosie Williams OBE, Softball Australia CEO had this to say after the game.

"What a game. The hard work and dedication from our players and staff team is paying off

There is still a long way to go, but this performance will build the confidence we need to progress

It has been fantastic to be able to watch the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage live thanks to Fox Sports."