Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 1:21 AM

Australia's softball team has taken the bronze medal after losing a marathon match against Japan at the Beijing Olympics.

Japan progressed to the gold medal match with a 4-3 win in the 12th inning after the two teams were equal at 2-2 after seven innings.

Despite having runners on third base multiple times during the extra innings, the Spirit could only manage one run at the top of the 11th when Stacey Porter ran home after a hit by captain Natalie Ward.

But the Japanese replied straight away before holding the Australian's scoreless at the top of the 12th and sealing a date with the United States with their next at bat.

The Australia's forced the match to extra innings thanks to a last-gasp home run by Kerry Wyborn over centre field when the Spirit were down two outs at the top of the seventh and final innings.

It is the Aussies' fourth minor medal since softball's inception after claiming a bronze in Atlanta, bronze in Sydney and silver in Athens.

It is Australia's last match at an Olympics because softball has been left of the program for the 2012 London Games.