The Team USA Softball team took the silver medal on Tuesday morning. The Americans suffered a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Japan in the championship game at the Tokyo Olympics.
Team USA Softball vs Japan Championship Game Recap
Team USA could not get the bats going at all in the final. They tallied just three hits in the seven-inning game. Japan scored runs on an infield single in the 4th inning and another RBI single in the 5th. It was sweet revenge for the Japanese, The U.S. could not get the bats going at all in the final. They tallied just three hits in the seven-inning game. Japan, who lost 2-1 to the same USA team on Sunday.
Yukiko Ueno, who also pitched in the 2008 gold medal game against the U.S., completely shut down the American bats over the first five innings. The United States looked to mount a comeback in the 6th. Unfortunately, the effort was thwarted with an unlucky double play to end the inning. Ueno came back out for the 7th and finished things off with a 1-2-3 final frame to secure the gold for the host nation.
Softball’s Comeback is Short-Lived
This was the first time that softball had been a part of the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games. It was a brief comeback for the sport as it has been already been reported that softball will not return at the Paris Olympics in 2024. More than likely, the redemption story for these U.S. athletes won’t happen, at least on the Olympics stage.
The earliest that softball could return to the Summer Olympic Games is in 2028 in Los Angeles. These players will be about 40 years of age before those games start. USA softball has a bright future ahead though. Players such as Kelsey Stewart and Janie Reed will have to carry the torch as Olympic veterans if softball returns in 2028.
