2020 Olympics Top Moments: Day 1 of the action from Tokyo
The Opening Ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics might be on Friday, but the action has already begun.
The Games started off with three softball games on Tuesday night, as Australia took on host team Japan, the United States faced Italy and Mexico squared off against Canada.
Then women's soccer got underway, including a game between the U.S. and Sweden, which eliminated the Americans from the 2016 Games.
Softball finds itself in an odd position in these Olympics. The sport was removed from the competition after the 2008 Games in Beijing. And while it returns this summer – though with a field reduced from eight to six teams – its future is uncertain. Softball will not be part of the 2024 Games in Paris, but will return for Los Angeles in 2028.
Either way, the action was entertaining as the Olympics started off with little fanfare and no fans.
Here are the top moments from Day 1.
The return of softball to the Olympics made some observers emotional.
The first home run of the Olympics went to the host country Japan.
Japan, which beat the U.S. in the gold medal game in 2008, cruised past Australia, 8-1.
The U.S. is ranked No. 1 in the world and heavily favored to take home the gold medal. The Americans have won softball gold in 1996, 2000 and 2004, while settling for silver in 2008. And the Americans were fired up for their first game.
The U.S.-Italy game was a pitcher's duel, with no runs scored through the first 3 1/2 innings. So let's check in with U.S. starter Cat Osterman, who shared why softball means more to her now than ever before.
The U.S. took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a hot-shot single by Michelle Moultrie.
The Americans stretched their lead to 2-0 on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
That would end up being the final score. Osterman compiled nine strikeouts in a dominant pitching performance.
The U.S. next takes on Canada on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
For some information on the top athletes to watch, check out this primer on Faces of the Games.
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