Olympics roundup: Former Utah softball player Anissa Urtez hits a home run in Mexico’s 3-2 loss to Japan

Mexico’s Anissa Urtez celebrates as she hits a home run during the softball game between the Mexico and Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan. | Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

Former Utah softball player Anissa Urtez hit a home run in Mexico’s 3-2 loss to Japan, and Real Salt Lake forward Douglas Martinez started and played all 90 minutes for Honduras

Although the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games won’t get underway until Friday night in Tokyo (4 a.m. MDT on Friday), competition has been underway since Wednesday, with soccer, baseball, softball and shooting all getting action in before the opening ceremonies.

Former Utah softball player Anissa Urtez played a key role for Mexico on Thursday as its softball team competed in the Olympics for the first time ever. Though Mexico would end up losing 3-2 to Japan as Japan’s Atsumi Mana hit a walk-off RBI single, Urtez hit Mexico’s first-ever home run in Olympic play, a solo shot to center field in the fifth inning.

History for Mexico!

This is the first home run in Olympic history for Mexico softball. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/1gSxZlK5Ky

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 22, 2021

Urtez went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, driving in all of Mexico’s runs. Her second RBI came on an RBI single in the seventh inning to force extra innings before Japan won in the eighth inning. Mexico lost its opening game 4-0 against Canada and falls to 0-2.

Real Salt Lake forward Douglas Martinez started and played all 90 minutes for Honduras as it lost its opening match 1-0 to Romania on Thursday. The lone Romanian goal was scored on an own goal by Honduras’ Elvin Oliva.

from Deseret News https://ift.tt/3kMX9vi