It may be the softball offseason, but professional baseball’s nearly year-long season still rolls on. A number of college softball coaches and current & former players have been called upon in recent times to throw out the ceremonial first pitches for various teams.
Wichita State star Sydney McKinney is already one of the very best in Shockers’ program history – and she still has one season to go. In addition to her stardom on the college field, she also played for Team TC in the Canada Cup this summer and was selected to take part in a Team USA uniform for the Japan All-Star Series.
After returning stateside, McKinney was called upon to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Wichita Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.
S/O to the @WindSurgeICT for having @sydneyrmckinney throw out the ceremonial first pitch at tonight’s game!#gotubs x #goshocks pic.twitter.com/CujlqNW9OV
— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) August 19, 2022
Aleshia Ocasio was the 2021 summer champion of Athletes Unlimited and is currently participating in her third consecutive summer as part of the professional league. Ocasio played collegiately at Florida, starring as both a pitcher and hitter and helping lead the Gators to the 2015 Women’s College World Series title.
Last week, Ocasio ventured to the south side of Chicago and
Without a doubt one of the coolest experiences to photograph.
Getting to capture @ALESHIAOCASIO throw GAS in front of thousands of White Sox fans was a freaking blast!!!!! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/77Owg4JmY4
— Jade Hewitt (@JadeHewittMedia) August 17, 2022
Maryland head coach Mark Montgomery was hired to lead the Terps’ program in the fall of 2019, but didn’t coach his first full season for the squad until 2022. This season, the Terps finished fifth in the Big Ten standings with a 14-8 conference record; the program had finished 10th during the conference-only season in 2021.
Just down the road from College Park is Bowie, Maryland, home of the Bowie Baysox. The Baysox are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
Thank you to @BowieBaysox for having our very own Coach Montgomery tonight to throw out the first pitch! pic.twitter.com/NyMteXDIUs
— Maryland Softball (@TerpsSoftball) August 19, 2022
Nevada head coach Linda Garza finished her first season in Reno with the 2022 campaign, leading the Wolfpack to 17 wins and an 8th-place conference finish. She has reloaded the roster ahead of the 2023 season, with a bevy of transfers and new additions.
Garza got the nod to throw out the first pitch for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, to kick off the school’s Wolfpack Weekend festivities.
Our head coach can pitch a baseball, she’s THAT good 🐺
Thank you @renoaces for the letting our coach throw the first ceremonial pitch on tonight’s game! #BattleBorn pic.twitter.com/5F6vyyNV2x
— Nevada Softball (@Nevada_Softball) August 20, 2022
