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USSSA Pride outfielder Haley Cruse has announced her retirement from professional softball.
Haley Cruse #10 – 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 💙
Thank you for everything you've given to the game! You played and danced your way into softball hearts around the world… your impact will last far beyond your years on the field.
See you on the other side @haley_crusee🥹 pic.twitter.com/xSDod4PAGk
— Women's Professional Fastpitch (@wprofastpitch) April 7, 2023
Cruse, of course, is one of the best-known softball players in recent memory. While playing college softball at Oregon, Cruse gained a massive following thanks to her dancing TikTok videos. To date, Cruse has nearly one million followers on the TikTok platform alone.
In an Instagram post on Friday afternoon, Cruse wrote:
“For two decades now, my identity has been in sport. I was known as “the softball girl” for the majority of my childhood. Anyone close to me has heard the phrase “I can’t, I have softball” more times than they can count. I have never once regretted any of it because of the joy and countless blessings this sport has brought to my life. Softball has helped me get an education, travel the world, and meet the most dedicated and inspiring people. It has given me a purpose that fulfilled me for most of my life. As I get older, I have started to wonder what my purpose will be beyond the softball field. While it is scary that I haven’t yet found that new purpose, I have grown excited to begin exploring it rather than fearful. This year I have made the impossible decision to take a step back from the game and find my purpose that will carry me through the rest of my life. Though I will not be competing with the USSSA Pride this upcoming season, I am looking forward to staying involved with the team and supporting the growth of the WPF, which I wholeheartedly believe in. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have competed alongside the best athletes in the world, and I can’t wait to see what the league accomplishes in the near future. I am walking into this new season of life with open arms, an open mind, and an open heart. I look forward to taking the lessons I’ve learned throughout my softball career and applying them to new passions waiting to be explored. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my entire journey – this is just the beginning.”
Cruse spent two years playing professionally with the Pride, including during the team’s inaugural year in the newly-formed Women’s Pro Fastpitch league in 2022. She finished her college career at Oregon in the career top ten in four categories, including batting average (5th), runs scored (5th), stolen bases (7th), and doubles (8th).
According to a social media post from the USSSA Pride, Cruse will continue in her role as a USSSA Fastpitch ambassador. Cruse is married to Garrett Mitchell, a former top-10 draft pick and currently a member of the Milwaukee Brewers roster.