UPDATED Olympic Prep: Team USA Game Against Central Florida Tonight Cancelled Because of Inclement Weather
By
@BruntjensElla
April 20, 2021
Keilani Ricketts and her USA teammates have outscored their previous seven opponents 50-6 heading into today’s game against Central Florida. Photo: USA Softball.
UPDATED Tuesday afternoon:
Inclement weather in the Orlando area has cancelled today’s game between the world-ranked No. 1 U.S. Women’s National Team (WNT) and No. 25 University of Central Florida (UCF).
Originally scheduled to take place today at 5 p.m. ET at the UCF Softball Complex as part of the 2021 “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), the WNT will continue training and practice sessions at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex (JRTC), which will be closed to the public to limit any potential exposure to the athletes and staff during their time together.
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The 2021 “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), returns today as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) squares off against No. 25 University of Central Florida (UCF) at 5 p.m. ET.
Played at the UCF Softball Complex (4055 Home Run Ct. Orlando, Fl. 32816), the 10-inning contest will provide much-needed preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games, where the sport of softball returns to the Olympic Program for the first time since 2008.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to train and compete this month,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “As we know, COVID-19 has limited our training capabilities, but I want to thank Coach Ball-Malone at UCF for creating an opportunity for their team to compete against Team USA as we continue our preparations for Tokyo.”
Fans will be allowed inside the ballpark at a limited capacity with tickets available to purchase online by clicking here. All fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering while inside the complex. The contest will be live streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on USASoftball.com.
Cindy Ball-Malone of Central Florida
“We are so excited for the opportunity to face the best athletes in the world,” said UCF Head Coach, Cindy Ball-Malone. “This opportunity is something special because it shows where the game is going and what it can provide, and I think it could be a defining moment for some of our young ladies.”
“We’re definitely going to try to be competitive and win, but more so just enjoy the experience and competition of playing the best of the best. We represent our university, but these women are representing our nation. So, I think it’s going to be cool to see it from that perspective.”
Following the postponement of the pre-Olympic “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB, the Red, White and Blue squad resumed preparations for the highly anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games in January with a series of monthly training camps and exhibition games.
Played at the UCF Softball Complex (4055 Home Run Ct. Orlando, Fl. 32816), the 10-inning contest will provide much-needed preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games, where the sport of softball returns to the Olympic Program for the first time since 2008.