Olympic Medalist, Baseball Great Join for IronBirds Pitch

ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) -- An Olympic wrestling gold medalist and a baseball hall of famer will be sharing in a ceremonial first pitch before the Aberdeen IronBirds game.

Wrestler Helen Maroulis will throw out the first pitch before the Aberdeen IronBirds game on Thursday. She'll be throwing to former Baltimore Orioles shortstop and third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. before the IronBirds play the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Maroulis defeated Japan's Saori Yoshida in the 53-kilogram freestyle final at the Rio Olympics to win the first-ever gold medal for an American women's wrestler.

Yoshida was a 16-time world champion who was going for her fourth gold. She hadn't lost in a major tournament in years, but she had been less dominant in recent tournaments. Maroulis was on a two-year win streak of her own.

(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)