“The sport of baseball/softball is very proud to be part of this historic moment for the Olympic Movement and the entire world,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari, who was in attendance to witness the Opening Ceremony.

The official ball will be the SSK WBSC 540, as per a WBSC-SSK partnership expansion announced in 2018.

“We must take advantage of this opportunity. As Mexicans, nobody has taken the chance of winning an Olympic gold medal in baseball,” said Gil.

Korea are the defending gold medallists, having won it all at the Beijing 2008 Games, where Olympic baseball was last featured.

The 31-year old switch-hitting utility infielder has an intriguing Olympic background: he earned a silver medal in short track speed skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Manager Atsunori Inaba will be looking to simulate the Tokyo 2020 Olympic conditions and noon start times, which are not common in NPB.

The game against the US Collegiate National Team was shortened because of rain. The Olympic Team won 8-3. Two more warm-ups are scheduled for 19 and 20 July.

Australia Softball catcher Belinda White (pictured far left) celebrates her 33rd birthday today (Sunday) and said: “It’s a really special birthday for me this year, couldn’t of wished for a better present than to be here in Tokyo for the Olympics."

Olympic baseball boost: The 24-man baseball teams account for a large percentage of the Dominican 64-athlete and the Israeli 88-athlete Olympic delegations.

Baseball and softball are making their return to the Olympics for the first time since the Beijing 2008 Games.