updated 1:39 a.m. ET Aug. 23, 2004

ATHENS, Greece - Tanya Harding jumped up, shrieked with delight and wrapped her arms tightly around Australian catcher Marissa Carpadios as the two kicked up dust with a dance in the infield dirt.

Soon, they were mobbed by exhausted teammates.

The Aussies were guaranteed one more game at the Olympics — and another shot at the United States.

This time for a gold medal.

Harding pitched her fourth shutout of the Athens Games, leading Australia to a 3-0 win over Japan on Sunday and setting up a rematch with a U.S. team that is flirting with perfection in its pursuit of a third straight gold.

“We’re going to come out firing,” Aussie first baseman Peta Edebone said after she and her teammates bounced back in the oppressive heat from a semifinal loss earlier in the day to the Americans. “We’ve got nothing to lose.”

The U.S. team has everything on the line.

Lisa Fernandez pitched a three-hitter, Crystl Bustos had two RBIs and Natasha Watley had three more in infield singles as the Americans rolled to a 5-0 semifinal win over Australia, the U.S. team’s eighth straight shutout in eight days of competition.

But Day 9, Monday, is the only one that matters for the unblemished Americans, who have yet to give up a run during their romp through the world’s softball elite. The lopsided scores, infinitesimal ERA and 46-0 run differential will mean nothing if U.S. players don’t leave with gold medals dangling around their necks.

“We’re here for one thing,” Fernandez said.

Australia Coach Simon Roskvist, who surprised the Americans by starting Melanie Roche and not Harding, wouldn’t say whether he’ll start the only pitcher to beat the U.S. team twice in Olympic play. Harding hasn’t given up a run in 33 innings in this tournament.

U.S. coach Mike Candrea may again counter with Fernandez, the 33-year-old ripening with age, or he could go with Jennie Finch to start and Cat Osterman available in relief.

“Don’t know,” Candrea said when asked which way he’s leaning.

One thing is certain: The Americans have been conducting a one-team softball clinic in the sweltering sun and heat.

It wasn’t supposed to be this easy, though.

Since the Sydney Games, the International Softball Federation moved the mound back from 40 feet to 43, and pushed the fences out from 200 feet to 220. In doing so, the thought was that pitchers wouldn’t be so dominant and the open outfield spaces would lead to more scoring.

Really, only one thing has changed: The Americans. They’re better.

“This team has done a nice job in raising the bar,” Candrea said.

The U.S. team played its most complete game in thumping its Olympic nemesis for the second time here. Last Sunday, the Americans downed the Aussies 10-0 in the preliminary round. Australia cut the deficit in half on Sunday, but there never really was any doubt the United States would stay undefeated.

Kelly Kretschman homered for the U.S. team (8-0), which has won 78 straight games since losing to its “B” team last July. Still, Candrea wants more from his team of four three-time Olympians, six two-timers and nine rookies.

Candrea is seeking the perfect game from what has been the Perfect Team.

“That one was pretty good,” he said. “But I’m still waiting.”

In the first inning, Fernandez, who one-hit the Aussies in the opening round, had an illegal pitch called against her by first-base umpire Leanna Pacini, who ruled her foot left the rubber before she delivered the ball.

That led to a five-minute delay as Fernandez complained about the mound, doing her own maintenance there before a member of the grounds crew came out and dug out dirt.

Fernandez teased the Aussies with a knee-buckling change-up, floating the ball up to the plate and daring them to hit it.

“I felt like I had to try and keep them off-balance,” Fernandez said. “They were going to make adjustments and I had to stay one step ahead.”

It was vintage Fernandez. Besides being perhaps the game’s best all-around player, she’s always looking for an edge — anything to make her better, anything to help her team come out on top.

She’s like Michael Jordan in a visor. But a much better hitter.

“She did her homework,” said Australian first baseman Peta Edebone. “Her changeup was great.”

The Aussies just might see it again and, if they do, they’ll be swinging for the fences and gold.

“We’re going to come after the States,” center fielder Kerry Wyborn said. “We wanted to play them again.”

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