Michigan Alumna Chidester Earns Olympic Silver Medal with Team USA
7/27/2021 10:33:00 AM | Softball, Olympics
TOKYO, Japan -- University of Michigan softball alumna Amanda Chidester became the first player in program history to claim an Olympic medal, earning silver today (Tuesday, July 27) as the United States fell to Japan, 2-0, in the gold-medal game at Yokohama Stadium. It was Team USA's first loss of the 2020 Tokyo Games -- softball's first appearance in the Olympics in 13 years.
Chidester, who produced a pair of game-winning hits in opening-round play, went 0-for-3 in the gold-medal contest but was robbed in the sixth inning when, with runners on first and second, her hot shot to third ricocheted off the Japanese third baseman and right into the glove of the shortstop, who completed the double play to second base to end the inning -- and Team USA's last great chance to score.
Japan outhit Team USA, 8-3, and manufactured its runs on two-out singles in the fourth and fifth innings. Japanese ace Yukiko Ueno struck out five while allowing two hits and two walks through six innings. Ally Carda took the loss for the United States, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 2.2 innings.
Team USA posted a perfect 5-0 record in opening-round play, including a 2-1 walkoff win against Japan on Monday morning (July 26) in Tokyo. Chidester provided a walkoff hit herself against Australia a day earlier, driving a two-run single to left-center to propel the Red, White and Blue to a 2-1 win in eight innings. Chidester also delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning in Team USA's 1-0 win over Canada.
The United States has now claimed three gold and two silver in five appearances in the Olympic Games, dating back to 1996. Michigan assistant coach Jennifer Brundage captured gold with Team USA at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Chidester was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American at Michigan (2009-12) and earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2012. She has been with the USA Softball Women's National Team since 2012 -- except for 2019, when she was the NPF Player of the Year, NPF Offensive Player of the Year and Home Run Award winner -- and has won a gold medal and two silvers at the WBSC Women's World Championship.
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
• Michigan Olympic Updates: Softball
