U.S. softball opens Games with victory
Cat Osterman dominated as the United States began its quest to regain the Olympic softball gold medal, 13 years after she lost the championship game, pitching one-hit ball over six innings and striking out nine to beat Italy 2-0 in Fukushima, Japan, on Wednesday.
Michelle Moultrie singled in a run in the fourth inning for the top-ranked U.S., which lost the title to Japan 3-1 at the 2008 Beijing Games. Janie Reed, the wife of Dodgers reliever Jake Reed, added a sacrifice fly.
Osterman, a 38-year-old lefthander, walked none on a humid afternoon with a 94-degree temperature that was even more steamy on the artificial turf. The last remaining player from the 2004 gold medalists, she improved to 6-1 in Olympic play with 66 strikeouts in 38 innings.
Host Japan beat Australia 8-1 behind 39-year-old pitcher Yukiko Ueno, who won the 2008 gold-medal game against the United States.
The U.S. men’s basketball team, which headed to Japan with only eight players, got good news when Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine cleared the team’s health and safety protocols.
— Dan Woike
A Ugandan athlete who fled during pre-Olympics training in western Japan last week has been found and was being interviewed by police, officials said.
Mie prefectural police in central Japan said 20-year-old weightlifter Julius Ssekitoleko was in the Yokkaichi city, 105 miles east of his host town in western Japan.
Police are asking him what happened since he fled his hotel in Izumisano in the Osaka prefecture Friday, leaving behind a note saying he didn’t want to return to his country.
New York Jets assistant coach Greg Knapp was hit by a car while riding his bicycle in California in a “horrific” crash over the weekend. Knapp was struck Saturday in the city of San Ramon, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The 58-year-old longtime NFL assistant was hospitalized and was in critical condition Tuesday, Lt. Tami Williams of the San Ramon Police Department said.
The Pittsburgh Steelers added depth at outside linebacker and offensive line, signing free agents Melvin Ingram and Chaz Green to one-year deals . ... Defensive end Alex Okafor signed a one-year deal to return to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles against former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sept. 25.
Jack Roush put a long-term vision for Roush Fenway Racing in motion when the 79-year-old team owner introduced Brad Keselowski as a new partner in the NASCAR team.
IndyCar announced an extension with NBC Sports that guarantees a majority of its races will be on the main network broadcast rather than cable, including a series-high 13 events on the flagship channel next season.
Louisiana’s Republican state senators narrowly voted to overturn Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ rejection of a bill prohibiting transgender students from participating in school sports, on the opening day of the first veto session under the state’s nearly 50year-old constitution.