Brittany Cervantes Homers, Mexico Wins First-Ever Olympic Game
TOKYO – Former Kentucky Softball player Brittany Cervantes hit a home run in Team Mexico’s 5-0 win over Italy on Sunday morning, vaulting Cervantes into history as the first UK player to ever hit a home run and score a run in the Olympics.
With the 5-0 win for Team Mexico, Cervantes helped push across the winning runs which gave Team Mexico its first-ever Olympic win in softball. Mexico is now 1-3 in pool play. Italy falls to 0-4.
Cervantes went 1-for-3 in the game with the homer and RBI. The homer came in the bottom of the fifth inning with a full count and one out and she drove it out to left center. She now has two hits in the Olympics, as she doubled to lead off the top of the second inning vs. Japan. The Chatsworth, California native started at catcher vs. Japan and was in left field Sunday vs. Italy.
Mexico can get into the medal round with a win over Australia (1-3) on Monday morning. The game will be shown at 7 a.m. ET on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. The winner will face Canada in Tuesday’s bronze medal game. The United States (4-0) and Japan (4-0) will play for the gold medal regardless of the results of the final pool play games.
Incoming pitcher Alexia Lacatena had another solid outing in the circle for Italy, throwing 1.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits with three strikeouts and 33 pitches thrown.
Italy and Lacatena closes out its Olympic competition Monday morning at 1:30 a.m. ET vs. Canada. The game will stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
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