We’ve surveyed the softball community and talked internally as well to come up with what were the most impactful and relevant stories of the year pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball.
Where applicable, we are providing the text to the original articles and/or references when the story first happened.
Today’s story… … #12: Going back to August of 2019 when the Stand Beside Her Tour was announced (and was one of our Top 15 Softball Stories of 2019, the great idea of taking Team USA’s softball juggernaut around the nation and playing local universities and all-star teams was really getting into full gear until COVID-19—like pretty much everything else last spring—shut it down. Still, what an impressive concept it was to get the top athletes in the sport sharpening their skills months ahead of the Olympic games as well as marketing fastpitch softball nationwide. Here’s to hoping it happens again in 2022 (or something like it!)
To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: [email protected].
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The following articles were some of those published on Extra Inning Softball in 2020 involving the Stand Beside Her tour and are listed in chronological order…
USA Softball Announces Training Camp in Lakeland, Florida for Olympic Team
Originally published Jan 17, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
The 2020 USA Softball Olympic Team will begin training camp in a weeks in advance of the Stand Beside Her Tour. Fans can watch a practice on Feb. 1 by registering for free passes (though space is limited).
USA Softball announced today that the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) will hold a training camp in Lakeland, Fla. prior to the start of the “Stand Beside Her” tour.
Held at Barnett Athletic Complex (111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive Lakeland, Fla., 33801), home of the Florida Southern College softball program, the 2020 roster will take part in a series of workouts, practice sessions, and simulated game situations at the facility with select practices open to the public.
Head Coach Ken Eriksen
“I want to thank Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Florida Southern College for helping us kick off the ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “The training is a big part of our preparation and for communities such as Polk County to get behind this team is a huge commitment.”
Team USA will hold an open practice February 1 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. ET for the public who wish to attend. Admission is free and with limited room, fans interested in attending can register for passes by Clicking HERE.
“While this isn’t the first Olympic team to train in Polk County, we’re proud to be the first stop on the Stand Beside Her Tour to Tokyo,” said Director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing (PCTSM), Mark Jackson. “We worked long and hard to recruit the team to Polk, where softball is an institution on the club, high school and college level.”
USA Softball announced its 18-player player roster that will compete in the “Stand Beside Her” tour, which provides much-needed training and competition for the 2020 WNT in their preparation for the Olympic Games while also giving fans a chance to watch the Red, White and Blue in person.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
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USA Softball: Exciting Week for “Stand Beside Her Tour” with MLB Sponsorship, More Tour Stops Announced
Originally published Jan. 25, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Monica Abbott will get to return to her alma mater as USA Softball announced a tour stop at the Univ. of Tennessee for April 8.
With the start of the Stand Beside Her Tour less than two weeks away, the big news keeps coming for Team USA as another pair of tour stops were announced along with a big-league sponsorship.
And when we say “Big League,” well, you know what we mean!
Here are the details from the last week has the softball world buzzing…
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL (MLB) ANNOUNCED AS PRESENTING SPONSOR
USA Softball announced on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 that Major League Baseball (MLB) has stepped up to the plate as the presenting sponsor of the “Stand Beside Her” tour.
As the presenting sponsor of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, MLB proudly stands alongside members of the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as they embark on a nation-wide tour that will hit over 35 cities as the team prepares for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with training and exhibition contests.
Craig Cress
“USA Softball is extremely grateful for the support of Major League Baseball (MLB),” said USA Softball Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Craig Cress. “We’ve had a strong relationship with MLB since 2015 when we joined the ‘PLAY BALL’ initiative, and their commitment shown not only to our Women’s National Team athletes but for grassroots development, is simply unmatched. The partnership and support of MLB provides members of the 2020 Women’s National Team with access to support staff and resources they need to stand atop the podium and bring the Gold back to the United States.”
As the presenting sponsor of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, MLB will work in conjunction with USA Softball in select cities to host “PLAY BALL” events, MLB’s signature youth engagement activity of which USA Softball is a flagship partner.
As part of the partnership, the iconic MLB silhouetted batter will be featured on Team USA’s uniform tops and on various signage promoting the appearances. The Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., which is operated by MLB, will also be named as the Official Training Facility of the USA Softball National Teams.
“Major League Baseball is proud to support the Women’s National Softball team and these world-class athletes on their journey to becoming Olympians,” said Tony Reagins, Executive Vice President of Baseball Development, Major League Baseball. “The players on Team USA share our commitment to growing softball, and we look forward to joining them as they inspire young women to play the sport. Representing your country on any international platform is an honor, but doing so on the Olympic stage is the pinnacle. We are thrilled to be along for their incredible ride.”
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
The third tour stop addition of the week was announced on Wednesday as USA Softball revealed that Knoxville, Tennessee will be another stop along the “Stand Beside Her” tour.
Featuring the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT), Team USA will face off against the Tennessee Lady Vols on April 8, 2020. Rocky Top fans will have the opportunity to welcome back Tennessee great, Monica Abbott, who graduated in 2007 as a four-time All-American and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year recipient.
Monica Abbott
“I’m so excited to be back on Rocky Top with Team USA,” said Abbott. “The University of Tennessee is rich with Team USA ties and has many connections to the USA Softball program! I can’t wait to be back representing Vol Nation and USA!”
The U.S. will square off against the Lady Vols in a 7 p.m. ET solo contest at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium (2323 Stephenson Dr., Knoxville, Tenn., 37916). Ticket information can be found at AllVols.com. Chairback seating will be $20, bleacher seating $15 and outfield bleachers will be $10.
Karen Weekly
“Ralph and I are extremely excited for the opportunity to host Team USA at Sherri Parker Lee stadium on the ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour,” said Tennessee Co-Head Coach, Karen Weekly. “It is even more special because our very own Monica Abbott is coming home to Rocky Top and representing our country in the 2020 Olympic Games. We couldn’t be prouder of her and everything she has accomplished in her career. We are grateful to the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission and the University of Tennessee for working together to make this possible.”
PETE CLEARWATER INVITATIONAL TRIO OF GAMES
The first exhibition games announced for the Stand Beside Her Tour back last fall involved two top preseason college tournaments—the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic and the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic—so it’s fitting that one of the last announcements before the tour begins had to do with another elite tourney, the St. Pete Clearwater Invitational.
Team USA will be taking the field against three prominent NCAA Division I softball programs– Liberty, Oklahoma State and Washington—with these competitions play a pivotal role in the training for the Red, White and Blue as they look to capture the Gold Medal in Tokyo where the sport of softball returns to the Olympic program for the first time since 2008.
Ken Eriksen
“It’s pretty good when you can add three quality college programs to your preparation schedule,” said 2020 WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “It will be very exciting to see two-time Olympian and Liberty Head Coach, Dot Richardson, on the field with this current team also.”
Bringing together some of the nation’s top NCAA Division I softball programs, the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational, presented by Wilson, will be held February 13-16 at the Eddie C. Moore Complex (3050 Drew Street) in Clearwater, Fla.
Team USA will play just prior to the start of the event in a February 12 contest against Liberty, coached by two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Dot Richardson, at 6 p.m. ET. The U.S. will return to the field on February 16 for back-to-back exhibition games with a 10 a.m. ET contest against Oklahoma State and closing with a 12:30 p.m. ET game against Washington, who is led by 2020 WNT Assistant Coach Heather Tarr. Both Feb. 16 contests will be available to stream on ESPN3 via the ESPN App.
Dot Richardson
“One of the highlights of my softball career was representing our country at the highest level of international competition; the Pan American Games, World Championship Games and the Olympic Games,” said Richardson. “It will also be a blessing for Liberty Softball to compete against the 2020 USA Olympic Team so we can experience playing against and learning from the best in the world. We look forward to the opportunity to express the gifts God has given each of us in the sport and for the fans to enjoy every minute. Go Flames – Go USA!”
Kenny Gajewski
“It’s an opportunity that every team in America would want to have,” said Oklahoma State Head Coach, Kenny Gajewski on playing Team USA. “We are honored to have this chance. It’s exciting for us. To play for Team USA, that’s been the dream for every young girl across the country. To have the opportunity to play against the best players in the world will be something we will remember for a long time. We are excited to see how we match up against them in a fun atmosphere. It’s going to be a fun day.”
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us to play against Team USA so early in our season,” said Tarr. “This isn’t an opportunity that comes along often. This will give our players a chance to see what it takes to play softball at the highest possible level.”
Tickets for Team USA’s contests during the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational will be sold the day of the event at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex. Tickets for the February 12 contest against Liberty are $5 while the February 16 doubleheader will be $25 for adults and $20 for youth as part of the tournament daily pass.
UNIV. OF WASHINGTON
On Monday, USA Softball announced that the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) will head to the Pacific Northwest as the “Stand Beside Her” tour heads to Seattle, Wash.
Team USA will face off against the Washington Huskies on March 12 for an exhibition matchup, which will include the return of two-time All-American Ali Aguilar, who graduated from Washington in 2017. The Seattle tour stop will mark a faceoff against 2020 WNT Assistant Coach Heather Tarr, who serves as Head Coach for Washington.
Ali Aguilar
“Dawg fans, I’m so excited that I will be coming back to play in front of all of you,” said Aguilar. “I feel so lucky that I have the opportunity to step on the dirt at UW again. I can’t wait until I get to see you all. UW has a special place in my heart because of fans like you. Go Dawgs!”
The U.S. will square off against the Huskies in a 6 p.m. PT solo contest at Husky Softball Stadium (3800 Montlake Blvd. NE, Seattle, Wash., 98195). Information on tickets can be found at GoHuskies.com.
Heather Tarr
“We are excited to compete against the U.S. Olympic team this season,” said Tarr. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we wanted to seize for our student-athletes. We will face the best softball in the world in the two contests. We are especially grateful for the game at the University of Washington. It will give our fans the chance to see former Husky Ali Aguilar and a chance to watch the United States Olympic team on its way to compete for the gold medal in Tokyo. These games will assist UW in achieving our goals. In addition, we hope we can help USA Softball achieve its goals on the ‘Stand Beside Her’ Tour.”
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The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour will kick off in February with the USA squad competing in a pair of prestigious college tournaments and run through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 32 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops (as of Jan. 26, 2020)
Click on the links to get info on how to purchase tickets and where the games will be played…
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
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For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
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It’s Finally Here! USA Softball’s “Stand Beside Her Tour” Starts Tomorrow (with 1 New Tour Stop Added Last Week)
Originally published Feb. 3, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Monica Abbott will get to return to her hometown of Salinas, California as one of the 36 tour stops on the Stand Beside Her tour, it was announced last week. Photo by USA Softball
The “Stand Beside Her” tour, first announced last August, finally begins tomorrow as the USA Softball Team that will play in this summer’s Tokyo Olympics begins its five-month travels across the nation playing exhibition games.
This past Thursday, members of the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) assembled in Lakeland, Fla. for a two-day training camp, their first of the 2020 season.
The team continues working out today prior to taking the field tomorrow for the first of 36 tour stops…
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TRAINING CAMP BEGINS; FIRST TOUR STOP IS TUESDAY
The team participated in a series of workouts, practice sessions, and simulated game situations ahead of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), which kicks off on Feb. 4 with Team USA’s first exhibition game against the University of South Florida (USF).
Head Coach Ken Eriksen
“What a day one of the journey,” said 2020 WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen after the first day of training camp.
“To have the enthusiasm, the energy and wherewithal we had on day one, when you have a core group of veterans you just fall right back into it. It’s not like a first day of spring training with rookies. Now’s the time to polish things and our skill sets.”
On Saturday, Team USA held an open practice for the public at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida and today will continue its south Florida training in Tampa in advance of taking on USF on Tuesday.
The first leg of the Stand Beside Her Tour starts at USF Softball Stadium (12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa, Fla. 33617) where fans will have the opportunity to watch the Red, White and Blue compete in a 6:30 p.m. ET contest against the Bulls.
The game will be in a familiar arena for Eriksen, who is stepping away from his role as Head Coach at USF as he leads the Red, White and Blue in their training throughout the tour.
With proceeds for the game benefiting youth softball through the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department, tickets can be purchased at the ticket office for $25.
ONE MORE STOP ADDED: SALINAS, CALIFORNIA
Salinas, Calif. became the latest tour stop announced and is a very special place for one key member of Team USA, Monica Abbott, who is a native of the Golden State city.
Monica Abbott
“In 2008, Team USA had the opportunity to play in Salinas and since that moment the entire city has been asking me, ‘When are you coming back to play here’,” said Abbott. “I’m so proud of the support the people and city of Salinas has shown me throughout my career and now to be able to share the 2020 Olympic journey with all of you all is going to be incredible! Thank you to everyone involved in bringing USA Softball to the Salinas Valley!”
Playing in a 6 p.m. PT contest against San Jose State on May 19, the two teams will compete at the Salinas Sports Complex (1160 N. Main St Salinas, Calif., 93906). Tickets for the contest will go on sale February 24 at http://www.salinasstorm.org.
“Having coached the Men’s National Team for 10 years and being affiliated with USA Softball in the past, this is a huge honor for the San Jose State softball players, and we feel very privileged to have this opportunity to play alongside the best in softball,” said San Jose State Head Coach, Pete Turner. “This game is an excellent opportunity for the community to see the Olympic team in action.”
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The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour will kick off in February with the USA squad competing in a pair of prestigious college tournaments and run through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops (as of Feb. 3, 2020)
Click on the links to get info on how to purchase tickets and where the games will be played…
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
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For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
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USA Softball: Great First Week for Team USA on the Stand Beside Her Tour
Originally published Feb. 9, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Rachel Garcia closed out the win versus Kentucky on Feb. 8 at the NFCA Division Leadoff Classic. Photo by USA Softball.
The “Stand Beside Her” tour presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) began this week with Team USA topping Head Coach Ken Eriksen’s South Florida team on Tuesday and then taking five games at the NFCA Division Leadoff Classic over the weekend.
The pitching staff was impressive, recording shutouts in four of the six wins and giving up just three runs overall.
If that wasn’t enough, USA Softball even announced a new stop for June. Here are the highlights from this week…
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USA 3, SOUTH FLORIDA 0 (Feb. 4)
Drawing 1,267 fans for a showdown between hometown favorites, USF, the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) shutout the Bulls in their “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), opener.
The USF pitching staff, which is guided by former WNT great and USF interim Head Coach Jessica Moore, held the Red, White and Blue to only five hits with Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) and Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) each picking up two hits.
“It was a great start for both programs tonight,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla./Head Coach at South Florida), after taking on his college program. “We’re trying to get the rust off a lot of things, but if you are a fan of pitching, tonight was the night. It was really cool to see all the Team USA pitchers attack the zone and then Georgina Corrick, who is a world caliber pitcher, put zeroes against us and worked the zone. It just shows you how bright Coach Moore is, who was a great Team USA athlete and is a great coach. I thought we had some really good at-bats tonight and hit some hard balls, but they were just right at USF and they made some great plays. Overall, it was a really great night of softball.”
Team USA wasted no time in getting the offense going as McCleney led off the game with an infield single before moving to second on a single to right field by Stewart. A walk to Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) loaded the bases before a passed ball allowed McCleney to score and make it a 1-0 ballgame.
Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) got the start in the circle for the U.S. and quickly issued two strikeouts before a fly ball dropped in for a single. Osterman fired back with her third strikeout of the inning, however, keeping the runner at first and a one-run lead.
The U.S. put a pair of runners on base in their next two at-bats but failed to bring anything else across the plate while Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) and Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) kept USF off the board through the bottom of the third.
The top of the fourth inning brought in another run for the U.S. after Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) led off with a single. A fielder’s choice by Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) kept a runner at first base until Reed stole second and moved to third on a ground ball from McCleney. Stewart ripped a fly ball to the right field fence on a hitter’s count, a double to plate Reed, but was caught attempting to take an extra base for the third out of the at-bat.
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) entered the circle in the bottom of the fourth, issuing back-to-back strikeouts before a single found its way to the outfield. A strikeout by Abbott ended the fourth with Team USA up by two.
Team USA added their final run of the contest in the top of the seventh after McCleney once again got the offense rolling as the leadoff hitter with a triple. A wild pitch allowed McCleney to score from third, putting the Red, White and Blue at a three-run lead.
Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.), who entered in the bottom of the sixth inning, retired USF in order in their final at-bat with three strikeouts, earning Team USA the 3-0, shutout win.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 6, 2020
NFCA DIVISION I LEADOFF CLASSIC
TEAM USA 4, MISSISSIPPI STATE 0 & TEAM USA 11, ILLINOIS 0 (Feb. 7)
With the pitching staff combining for 20 strikeouts in two games, the U.S. offense also came alive as they posted 15 runs in their two victories.
“It’s nice when your pitching staff can come out and give your team an opportunity to relax,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla./Head Coach at South Florida). “Monica threw the ball really well and Ally came in and worked on some sequences and different pitches. Then to have Cat come out and be very consistent and Rachel work on different pitches showed that it was another really good night for getting better. I was pretty happy with the focus at the plate tonight. We squared up on a lot of balls. We’re getting more comfortable as it goes, and then if we get comfortable, we get good. When we get good, we have a chance to be great and hopefully that occurs right before we leave for Tokyo.”
USA 4, Mississippi State 0 Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) drove in a pair of runs in a 2-for-3 outing as the WNT rolled past Mississippi State 4-0 in their first contest of the day. The contest also marked the first time this season for a home run off the bats of the WNT as Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.) sent out a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth.
The game was scoreless through the first two frames until Team USA took the lead in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs. A walk to Edwards put the leadoff runner on for Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.), who doubled to bring Edwards home before scoring herself on a double by Aguilar.
Mississippi State got a pair of base runners on in the top of the fifth inning and nearly scored, but a routine play at the plate kept the Bulldogs off the board. With a leadoff double, followed by a single, Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) fired the ball in from left field to Edwards, who made the play at the plate to quiet the Mississippi State rally attempt.
Edwards started the bottom of the fifth inning off with a bang, squaring up on a 2-0 pitch to blast a solo home run and extend the lead to three runs. A single by Reed continued the offense and Reed swiped second to put a runner in scoring position. A single to right field off the bat of Aguilar added the final run of the game, putting the Red, White and Blue up by four.
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) struck out 10 batters in the contest, allowing just two hits in five innings while Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) fanned one batter in two innings of work.
USA 11, Illinois 0 (five innings)
The U.S. offense came alive in an 11-0 (five innings) win over Illinois in their final game of the day. Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) drove in three runs for Team USA in the win while four U.S. batters recorded multiple hits.
Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) got the start in the circle and issued three strikeouts to bring the potent U.S. offense to the plate. A leadoff single by Reed and sac bunt by Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) set up Nickles, who homered to make it 2-0.
The offense continued with back-to-back singles from Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) and a double by Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) drove in another run. A ground ball to the right side allowed Garcia to score, putting Team USA up by four runs.
The hits continued in the bottom of the second inning after Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) walked and scored on a double by Reed. Nickles notched her third RBI of the contest with a fly ball to left field and another back-to-back outing by Arioto and Garcia with singles drove in the seventh run for Team USA. A ground out, single and bases-loaded walk brought in the final runs of the contest for the U.S.
A leadoff single by Illinois in the top of the fourth inning was all the offense mustered throughout the remainder of the game.
Osterman dealt four strikeouts in two innings while Garcia struck out five in the final three innings. In addition to Nickles, Moultrie and Munro had a multi-RBI game, each driving in two.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 8, 2020
TEAM USA 9, BAYLOR 1 & TEAM USA 7, KENTUCKY 0 (Feb. 8)
The bats continued to remain hot for the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) on Saturday as the team picked up another pair of wins on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB).
Taking the field against their first ranked NCAA Division I softball opponents this season, the U.S. posted a 9-1 (five innings) win over Baylor before closing the day with a 7-0 shutout win over No. 16 Kentucky at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I Leadoff Classic.
USA 9, Baylor 1 (five innings) Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.) drove in three runs in a perfect game at the plate as she helped lift Team USA to a 9-1 (five innings) win over Baylor. Despite giving up the first run of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB, the U.S. pitchers continued to work in the circle as the duo of Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) and Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) limited Baylor to just two hits while striking out six.
Carda got the start in the circle and worked her way out of a one-out single with a popup and strikeout to bring the home team to the plate. Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) set the tone in the leadoff spot by walking, before stealing second, and scoring on a single from Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.). A double from Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) looked to continue the offense, but a double play and popup ended the at-bat.
Baylor responded in the top of the second, taking advantage of a one out walk, sac bunt and passed ball. With a runner at third, a single to center drove in the run, tying the game at 1-1. That score held until Team USA took the lead for good in the bottom of the third. McCleney tripled with a ball off the right/center field wall and scored on an infield single from Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.), putting the U.S. up 2-1.
Osterman entered the circle in the top of the fourth inning, quickly dealing three strikeouts in the fourth and fifth to hold the one-run lead. Breaking the game open in the bottom of the fifth, Team USA drove in seven runs after three-consecutive walks loaded the bases.
A sac fly from Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.), a double from Flippen, her second of the game, and McCleney’s second extra-base hit of the contest put the U.S. just one run away from the run-rule. The sixth walk by the Baylor pitching staff in the at-bat loaded the bases for the fourth time before a wild pitch allowed the final run to cross the plate to end the game via the run-rule.
McCleney was nearly unstoppable at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored while Flippen was 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs driven in. Osterman fanned five batters in two innings while Carda struck out one batter in three innings.
USA 7, Kentucky 0
Jumping out to an early lead against No. 16 Kentucky, the U.S. picked up their fourth shutout win of the tour. Haylie McCleney continued her hitting streak with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate while Aguilar drove in four.
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) came out firing in the top of the first by striking out the side. A walk to McCleney and misplayed ball put runners on the corners for Aguilar, who ripped a triple to the right field fence. Arioto brought Aguilar in with a sac fly to center, putting the U.S. up 3-0 early.
Carda started off the bottom of the second inning with a single to put the leadoff on base and back-to-back singles from Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) and McCleney forced a Kentucky error that allowed Carda to score. Aguilar picked up her fourth RBI of the game with a single up the middle, giving the Red, White and Blue a six-run edge.
Kentucky picked up their first base runner of the game in the top of the third after an errant throw, but Abbott fired back with a strikeout to keep the runner from advancing. Team USA drove in their final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth after McCleney’s second triple of the day and a ground ball allowed her to easily score from third.
Abbott dealt an additional three strikeout inning before Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) entered the circle and used her defense to bring Kentucky to their final at-bat of the game. The Wildcats continued swinging, singling to start the top of the seventh and a one-out walk put two on. A single to McCleney in center advanced the runners, but a perfect play at the plate ended the game in exciting fashion. After Kentucky sent the runner home, McCleney fired the ball in to Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) behind the dish to get the final out of the game.
Abbott struck out 11 in five innings of work with no hits allowed while Garcia closed out the final two innings.
At the plate, McCleney has had a multi-hit performance in all but one game she’s played thus far on the tour. Leading the team with eight runs scored, McCleney has tripled three times while doubling twice to amass a 1.231 slugging percentage in four games played.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 9, 2020
TEAM USA 5, TEXAS STATE 0 (Feb. 9)
Three members of the Red, White and Blue had a multi-hit day at the plate as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) closed out the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I Leadoff Classic with a 5-2 win over Texas State.
Competing in the three-day event as part of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), Team USA’s Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) got the start in the circle to face off against the Bobcats, where she serves as an Assistant Coach.
Osterman recorded two strikeouts and a groundout to shut down the Texas State offense in the top of the first inning, bringing leadoff batter Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) to the plate, where she singled on a ground ball to third. Advancing to second on a sac bunt from Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.), a dropped fly ball to the outfield allowed Reed to score from second and give the U.S. a one-run edge.
Texas State had their first base runner of the game in the top of the second inning after a batter was hit by a pitch with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts from Osterman kept the Bobcat bats at bay for another inning. Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.) started the bottom of the second off with a single, but a popup and fly out kept her at first. Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) advanced Flippen a bag with a single to center before Reed added to the lead by picking up her second hit of the game and making it 2-0.
Team USA continued to get the leadoff batter on base in the bottom of the third when Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) used her speed to slide in for a triple on a ball hit to the outfield fence and scored on a wild pitch. Texas State cut the lead to two runs with a one out solo home run in the top of the fourth, the first against a Team USA pitcher of the tour. Osterman fired back with a strikeout before being lifted for Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.), who forced a ground out for the third out of the inning.
Neither side mustered any runs, despite Team USA loading the bases in the bottom of the fourth, until the bottom of the fifth when Flippen drove in Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.), who had doubled earlier in the at-bat. Texas State once again cut the lead in the top of the sixth after a leadoff walk, stolen base and misplayed ball on the throw put a runner in scoring position. A soft chopper to short allowed the runner to score from third, making it 4-2, USA.
A leadoff walk to Nickles, Team USA’s fifth leadoff base runner in six innings, and a sac bunt put a runner in scoring position for Haylie McCleney, who continued her hit-streak with a single up the middle to plate Nickles and regain a three-run lead for the U.S.
Despite a leadoff single by the Bobcats in their final at-bat, a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts ended the game with Team USA taking the 5-2 win.
Reed had a 3-for-3 day at the plate while Flippen and Nickles each picked up two hits. No U.S. batter struck out during the seven-inning contest while combining for 10 hits. In the circle, Osterman finished with eight strikeouts and one earned run while Ricketts struck out three with one earned run and Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) struck out one in her two batters faced.
The WNT is now 6-0 on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB, collectively hitting .336 with eight batters hitting over .300. McCleney leads the offense with eight runs scored while Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) has a team-high seven RBI. From the circle, the pitching staff has combined for 67 strikeouts in 38 innings of work, allowing just two earned runs. Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) leads with 27 strikeouts while Osterman follows with 20 strikeouts.
Team USA returns to action on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB, with a 6 p.m. ET contest against No. 9 Florida in Gainesville, Fla. on Tuesday, February 11. It will mark the return of three Gator greats: Michelle Moultrie, Aubree Munro and Kelsey Stewart.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 9, 2020
ONE MORE STOP ADDED: DUBOIS, PENNSYLVANIA
DuBois, Pa. becomes the latest tour stop announced for the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB). Featuring the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT), the tour serves as an opportunity for the WNT to prep for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where the sport of softball returns to the Olympic program for the first time since 2008.
“We’re very excited to be in western Pennsylvania,” said 2020 WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “It’ll be exciting to see the overwhelming support from fans in the area and for our team to experience Clearfield County, which has shown a lot of support for youth and women’s athletics.”
On June 5, the U.S. will play an exhibition doubleheader at Heindl Field (11 Parkway Dr, DuBois, PA 15801). The first game will take place at 6 p.m. ET with the second contest approximately 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Tickets will be sold at http://heindlfield.com/tickets/ with Reserved Seats for $30 and General Admission for $20.
*****
The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour kicked off February 4 with the USA squad and runs through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops (as of Feb. 9, 2020)
Click on the links to get info on how to purchase tickets and where the games will be played…
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
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For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
*****
USA Softball: Week 2 of Stand Beside Her Tour Ends with Monica Abbott No-Hitter
Originally published Feb. 16, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
The Washington Huskies couldn’t play Team USA on Sunday, Feb. 16 due to travel time constraints, but they got to have photos taken together!
The “Stand Beside Her” tour presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) saw Team USA gets its closest game as the Red, White and Blue went to Gainesville and battled the Gators before moving to the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational.
There, the Olympic Team picked up two big wins, the last one a no-hitter, to finish Week 2 with a 9-0 mark.
Here are the highlights from the week of February 10-16, 2020…
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USA 5, FLORIDA (Feb. 11)
The Red, White and Blue edged out No. 11 Florida in front of a crowd of 1,935 Gator Nation proud fans.
Warm welcome homes resonated throughout the stadium to 2012 Florida grad Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) and 2016 graduates Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) and Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) in their first return to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium since their days in the Gator uniform.
“It was a fantastic night for our three players that attended the University of Florida,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “It’s important to recognize those athletes at our college tour stops. It’s also important for our pitching staff to continue to develop and attack hitters. Monica was stellar tonight and gave the fans a great show. I know our players can’t wait to get back at it tomorrow against Liberty.”
While the U.S. led through the majority of the game, in the final two frames Florida’s offense came alive to bring the home crowd to their feet. Challenging the U.S. pitching staff, timely hitting by the Gator batters brought the game within two runs, with Team USA able to edge the hometown team 5-3.
The offenses were stifled until Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.) doubled in the top of the second inning to put the first runner of the game on base with two outs, but a ground out stalled the offense. That didn’t last long for Team USA, however, as the U.S. plated four runs in the top of the third. Back-to-back walks to Stewart and Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) with one out put two on for Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.), who singled up the middle to load the bases. A ground ball back to the pitcher looked to once again quiet the U.S. offense until Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) singled up the middle to plate two. After Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Flippen followed with the third ground ball up the middle of the at-bat to make it 4-0, USA.
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.), who got the start in the circle for Team USA, kept dealing heat in the bottom of the third, striking out the side for nine strikeouts on the night. The Gators would put their first runner on base in the bottom of the fourth after an error put the leadoff runner on, but two line outs and a strikeout halted the Gator rally.
Team USA added to their lead in the top of the fifth after Reed led off with a single and came around to score on a double off the left-center wall by Aguilar. The U.S. loaded the bases again in the top of the sixth inning after three walks with one out, but a nicely snagged ground ball to third resulted in a double play to end the at-bat.
Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) entered the circle for Abbott in the bottom of the sixth inning and quickly induced a popup before a bunt for a single put a runner on. Florida got on the board after home run cleared the bases, cutting Team USA’s lead to 5-2.
Another bases-loaded situation for the Red, White and Blue came in their final at-bat after Aguilar walked, Arioto reached on a fielding error and a walk to Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) with two outs. A popup in foul territory stranded the runners, bringing Florida to their final at-bat of the game.
Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) took over pitching duties in the bottom of the seventh for Team USA and issued a leadoff walk before firing back with a strikeout. With another walk issued to put two on base, Garcia reentered the circle and a double to the left-center gap cut the lead to two runs. Abbott reentered the game with two on and one out, quickly striking out the next batter faced before a walk loaded the bases. The game looked to be interesting after a hard-hit ball towards the right-center gap, by McCleney quickly snagged the ball for the final out of the game.
Aguilar, Flippen and Reed each finished the night with two hits apiece while Aguilar drove in three runs and Flippen drove in a pair. Abbott retired 13 batters via the strikeout while Ricketts picked up one strikeout.
ST. PETE/CLEARWATER ELITE INVITATIONAL
USA 4, LIBERTY 18-0 (Feb. 12)
Homeruns and “eagles flying” were the themes of the game in Clearwater, Fla. as the U.S. offense erupted for 18 hits to open the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational.
Defeating Liberty 18-0 (five innings), nearly every batter in the U.S. lineup recorded a hit in the win while the dynamic duo of Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) and Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) in the circle allowed just three Liberty batters to reach base.
It was a reunion of Olympic proportions as the contest pitted two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Dot Richardson, who is the Head Coach of Liberty, against the 2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team.
In total, four Olympic Gold Medals and three Olympic Silver Medals were on the field tonight: Richardson (two-time Gold Medalist), Kelly Kretschman, who is serving as a development coach for the U.S., (Indian Harbour, Fla./Gold and Silver Medalist), Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif./Silver Medalist) and Osterman (Gold and Silver Medalist).
The U.S. scored in every at-bat of the five-inning contest, putting up multi-run innings in all but two. Getting things started in the first was Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.), who picked up her team-leading fifth double of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) to get the offense going.
Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) followed with a single before Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A sac fly by Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.) plated the first run of the game. Liberty reached in the bottom of the frame with a one-out single, but Osterman took care of the final two outs with a strikeout and grounder to bring Team USA back to bat.
Back-to-back walks to Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) and Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) put two on in the top of the second and a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners before Nickles was able to score on a chopper to first base.
Team USA added to their lead in the top of the third after Aguilar led off with a single and Arioto hit the first home run of the contest to make it 4-0. The U.S. added another run after Nickles scored on an error by the Liberty defense. Osterman retired three-straight batters via the strikeout in her final inning pitched in the bottom of the frame, holding Team USA’s comfortable, five-run lead.
Five runs crossed the plate for the U.S. in the top of the fourth inning as the offense continued to be relentless. Singles by Flippen and Aguilar followed by a triple off the left-center wall from Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) brought in two runs while Nickles plated Moultrie with a double to left. The batters continued to produce at the plate with a walk to Mulipola, a single by Carda and a double by Reed, which drove in another two. Carda entered the circle in the bottom of the fourth, and despite a hit batter with two outs, fired a strikeout to end the inning.
Putting the game away for good in the fifth, Team USA plated eight runs to extend the lead to 18. A leadoff single and a walk to Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) put two on with one out until Moultrie brought in a run with a single up the middle. Nickles loaded the bases with a single and Mulipola drove in another run with a single before Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.) cleared the bases on the first pitch thrown to her with a grand slam – her second home run of the tour. The offense didn’t stop, however, as Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) singled and Flippen sent out the third, and final, home run of the game with a shot over the centerfield wall.
A hit batter was all the offense Liberty could muster in their final at-bat as Carda took care of the final three outs with strikeouts to bring the game to a close with Team USA earning the 18-0 (five innings) win.
Six batters for the U.S. had a multi-hit game with Aguilar leading the way with four hits. Edwards collected four RBI while Moultrie and Reed finished with three runs driven in each. Osterman recorded five strikeouts in three innings in the circle while Carda followed with four in the final two frames.
USA 4, OKLAHOMA STATE 0 (Feb. 16)
Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) picked up the first no-hitter for a U.S. pitcher of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) defeated No. 16 Oklahoma State 4-0.
Originally slated to play two contests to close out the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational, Team USA’s contest against No. 1 Washington was cancelled due to travel time constraints.
The U.S. got on base early in the contest, taking advantage of back-to-back walks with two outs, but a fly ball to right field stranded the runners. Oklahoma State had their sole base runner of the game in their first at-bat after Abbott issued a leadoff walk, but a fly ball kept the runner at bay until Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) picked off the runner attempting to steal second. A strikeout swinging retired the side, keeping the game scoreless.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 16, 2020
That held until the top of the fourth inning when Team USA took the lead for good.
Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) doubled with a fly ball down the right field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A walk to Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) put two on until a wild pitch plated Moultrie and put Nickles at third. On a walk to Munro, another wild pitch allowed Nickles to score and make it a 2-0 ballgame.
Team USA added to their lead in their next at-bat, taking advantage of a leadoff single by Aguilar and a walk to Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.). A sac bunt by Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) advanced the runners a base for Moultrie, who picked up her second extra-base hit of the game with a fly ball to the right-center gap.
Abbott and the U.S. defense retired the next three Cowgirl at-bats, securing the no-hitter for Abbott and earning Team USA the 4-0, shutout win. This marks the sixth shutout win of the tour for Team USA.
Abbott earned the complete-game win, striking out 11 batters with just one walk allowed. Moultrie finished the contest with a 2-for-3 outing, driving in two runs while Aguilar also had a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
Team USA heads west for the next leg of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB. Taking on No. 4 Arizona on Tuesday, February 18 at 7 pm MT, Team USA then heads to Cathedral City, Calif. for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
*****
The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour kicked off February 4 with the USA squad and runs through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops & Scores (as of Feb. 16, 2020)
Click on the “Event/Location” links to get info on how to purchase tickets.
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
*****
For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
*****
USA Softball: Week 3 of Stand Beside Her Tour Sees Closest Game Yet… Plus, Cat Pitches a No-Hitter at Mary Nutter!
Originally published Feb. 23, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Team USA & Univ. of Arizona after February 18 game in Tucson. Photo – Mike Christy: Univ. of Arizona Athletics.
The “Stand Beside Her” tour presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) saw Team USA play its closest game yet in Tucson in Tuesday and then travel to Cathedral City, California to play four games in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic including a Sunday matchup against National Champion UCLA.
Here are the highlights from the week of February 17-23, 2020…
*****
USA 5, ARIZONA 4 (Feb. 18)
It was a Red, White and Blue evening as a sold-out crowd of 2,941 packed Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium to watch the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) take on the hometown favorites, the No. 5 Arizona Wildcats. In the closest contest played on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), Team USA was tested late in the game as the Wildcat bats connected for four runs, the most given up by the U.S. in their 10-0 start.
Team USA drove in all five of their runs in the first three innings of the game with Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) bringing in four-of-five runs. Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.), who was welcomed back to Tucson with a resounding cheer from the Wildcat faithful, drove in the final run of the game for the U.S., a run which proved to be the deciding factor. The battery of Mulipola and Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) kept Arizona off the board until the fourth inning, while three runs by Arizona in the fifth made the game interesting. Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) and Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) quieted the Wildcats in the final two frames.
How they scored:
Top of the first: Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) extended her on-base streak with a bunt for a single and moved to second on a walk to Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.). Aguilar crushed a ball over the centerfield fence for her first home run of the tour, putting Team USA up by three.
Top of the second: Mulipola reached on an error and advanced to second on a single up the middle by Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.). McCleney’s second hit of the game loaded the bases until Aguilar hit a sac fly to right field to plate Mulipola.
Top of the third: Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) picked up her first hit of the game with a leadoff single and moved to second on a single by Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.). A sac bunt by Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) advanced the runners a bag and Mulipola drove a ball through the left side of the infield to plate Chidester.
Bottom of the fourth: A leadoff solo home run by Arizona’s Jessie Harper put the Wildcats on the board.
Bottom of the fifth: The Wildcat bats came alive to plate three runs after a leadoff single and walk put two on base. Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) issued a strikeout for the first out before a three-run home run by Harper, her second home run of the game, brought Arizona within one run.
Notables:
McCleney and Chidester finished the contest with two hits apiece while Aguilar drove in four runs. Aguilar’s four RBI tonight tied for a single game-high on the tour.
Osterman finished with eight strikeouts and just two hits and one run allowed in four innings for the win. Carda issued two strikeouts with three runs allowed while Ricketts struck out three batters in one and one-third innings of work. Abbott tossed three strikeouts in the final frame to earn the save.
It was a night full of Olympians, honoring Arizona’s rich Olympic history in partnership with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) #OlympiansMadeHere campaign.
In addition to current WNT members Abbott and Osterman, USA Softball Olympians and Arizona legends Jennie Finch, Lovie Jung, Leah O’Brien-Amico, Nicole Giordano, Alicia Hollowell and Caitlin Lowe, who is the Associate Head Coach at Arizona, each attended tonight’s contest.
The contest also pitted 2020 WNT Head Coach Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla./Head Coach at USF) against his mentor and two-time Olympic Softball Team Head Coach and current Arizona Head Coach, Mike Candrea.
McCleney has now reached base safely in each contest played on the tour. Second on the team in batting average (.522), McCleney leads the offense with 10 runs scored.
Aguilar continues to deal in the three-spot in the lineup. Driving in nearly a quarter of Team USA’s runs on the tour, Aguilar has had four, multi-RBI games on the tour and leads the team with a .583 average and .645 on-base percentage.
Team USA escaped a late-inning rally by @ArizonaSoftball as the #USASoftball Women's National Team edged the Wildcats 5-4 in Tucson.
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 19, 2020
MARY NUTTER COLLEGIATE CLASSIC
USA 10, New Mexico 1 (Feb. 20)
Team USA opened the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 10-1 (five innings) win over New Mexico. With four U.S. batters having a multi-RBI game, Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) limited the Lobos to just two hits and one run in the complete-game win. Team USA now moves to 11-0 on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB).
The Red, White and Blue offense put runs on the board in each inning of the contest, but it was a four-run fourth inning that put the game away for good. The core of the U.S. lineup, Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.), Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) and Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.), combined to drive in six of the 10 runs on the evening with Aguilar extending her team-leading RBI total to 16.
How they scored:
Bottom of the first: Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) walked to start the game and moved to second on a sac bunt by Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.). Aguilar connected for the long ball on the first pitch of her at-bat, putting Team USA up by two early.
Top of the second: New Mexico’s Andrea Howard cut the lead to one run with a solo home run to start off the second inning.
Bottom of the second: Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and moved to second after a walk to Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.). Back-to-back strikeouts looked to bring the inning to a close until a walk to Carda loaded the bases and a wild pitch allowed Flippen to score.
Bottom of the third: Two walks put a pair of runners on for Flippen, who singled to left field to drive in a run.
Bottom of the fourth: Reed led off with a double and a walk to Stewart put two on with no outs. A popup and strikeout kept the runners at bay until Nickles singled with a fly ball to center to plate a pair of runs. Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) doubled to put runners on the corners for Flippen, who sent the ball to the left-center gap for another two runs.
Bottom of the fifth: Up 8-1 over the Lobos, Reed singled and moved to third on a double by Stewart. An error by the New Mexico defense loaded the bases for Chidester, who punched a ball up the middle to drive in two runs and end the game via the run-rule.
Notables:
Reed and Flippen finished the evening with two hits apiece. Carda earned the win in the circle, striking out nine batters while allowing just one run in five innings.
After giving up the solo home run in the top of the second, Carda took control in the circle, limiting the Lobos to just two base runners while dealing six of her nine strikeouts through the remainder of the contest.
Team USA opened the @NutterClassic with a 10-1 (five innings) win over New Mexico!
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 21, 2020
USA 14, UNIV. of SAN DIEGO 0 (Feb. 21)
Team USA blasted three home runs, including a grand slam by Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.), as the U.S. captured a 14-0 (five innings) win over San Diego at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Combining for 13 hits, Team USA sealed the win with a seven-run fourth inning to move to 12-0 on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB).
Three Red, White and Blue batters sent one out of the park in tonight’s win. Arioto connected for the first long ball of the game, a bases-clearing no-doubter, while Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) hit a three-run shot and Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.) blasted a two-run homer. Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) pitched Team USA to their seventh shutout win of the tour in the complete-game win.
How they scored:
Bottom of the first: The U.S. wasted no time at the plate as Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) walked, moved to second on a single from Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) and a walk to Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) loaded the bases. On a 3-1 pitch, Arioto sent the ball out to put Team USA up 4-0.
Bottom of the third: A walk put the leadoff runner on base, but a fielder’s choice and fly ball kept the runner at bay. Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) advanced Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) to second until Edwards connected for her third home run of the tour to make it 7-0.
Bottom of the fourth: The U.S. broke the game open after Reed’s second walk of the game and scored after Stewart tripled. A string of singles by Aguilar, Arioto and Nickles brought home three more runs for Team USA. Mulipola continued the offense with a single to put two on for Carda, who connected on an 0-2 pitch for a home run.
Notables:
Arioto, Mulipola, Nickles and Stewart each had two hits in the contest while Arioto led the offense with five RBI. Ricketts finished with four strikeouts and three hits allowed in five innings of work in the circle.
Aguilar extended her hit streak to six-consecutive games on the tour after tonight’s win over San Diego.
Edwards leads the offense with three home runs and a 1.556 slugging percentage on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB. All but one of Edwards’ hits on the tour have been out of the park.
Three batters go yard while Ricketts earned the complete-game win in a 14-0 shutout over San Diego at the @NutterClassic!
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 22, 2020
USA 9, UTAH 0 (Feb. 22)
Team USA’s Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) tossed a 13-strikeout no-hitter as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) defeated Utah 9-0 (five innings).
Capitalizing on five walks by the Utah pitching staff, Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) got the U.S. on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-run blast to spark the offense. The game was also highlighted by an #OlympiansMadeHere homecoming for Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.), who graduated from Utah in 2017 after a storied career with the Utes.
Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.), Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) and Munro each picked up two RBI in the contest with all but two batters recording a hit in the win. With the win, the U.S. moves to 13-0 on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB).
How they scored:
Bottom of the second: A leadoff walk to Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) put a runner on for Munro, who squared up on an 0-1 count to record her first home run of the tour. Back-to-back singles by Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) and Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.) continued the offense and RBI singles by Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) and Aguilar brought three runs across the plate.
The offense was relentless, as a walk to Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) put one on for Chidester, who sent a ball to the right-center gap for an RBI double. Flippen drove in the final run of the at-bat with a sac fly to right field, plating Moultrie who had singled in her second at-bat of the inning.
Bottom of the third: Reed singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. A walk to Stewart put runners on the corners for Arioto, who reached on a popup in the infield to bring Reed home.
Notables:
Osterman had a tour-high 13 strikeouts on the night, tossing five scoreless innings for just the second no-hitter by the U.S. pitching staff of the tour. Her 13 strikeouts also tie a tour single-game high by the staff, with Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) having previously fanned 13 batters in a contest against Florida earlier in the tour.
Aguilar has reached in seven-consecutive contests on the tour while McCleney has reached base safely in her last nine appearances. Aguilar leads the team with 18 RBI while Munro joins six other batters who have homered on the tour.
USA 9, UCLA (Feb. 23)
Trailing for the first time on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), Team USA overcame a two-run deficit to post a 9-3 win over reigning NCAA National Champion, No. 1 UCLA. With the stands full of a hometown crowd cheering on the Bruins, the U.S. bats stayed hot throughout the seven-inning contest as the offense recorded a hit in every inning played.
It was a special contest as UCLA alum’s Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.), Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif.), Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.) and Delaney Spaulding (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) presented UCLA Head Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez with a commemorative Team USA jacket to honor her role in their Olympic journey.
“Twenty-six days together allows for a lot of things to happen on the softball field,” said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “Twenty-six days together helps us find our team personality in respect to how we approach this tour, how we approach our training and how we approach our competition. I was excited to see a lot of things come to fruition in the last four days of the tour. We appreciate all that our hosts have done over the last 26 days for us and hopefully we can make them proud going forward.”
Home runs by Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) and Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) tied up the ballgame before the U.S. put the game away for good in the top of the sixth inning. Nearly every batter in the game for Team USA recorded a hit in the win, with Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.), Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.), Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.), Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) and Stewart having multiple hits.
How they scored:
Top of the first: McCleney led off the game with a double over the left fielder’s head and scored on a single to right field by Aguilar.
Bottom of the first: UCLA put up three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a two-run lead. A leadoff single by Kinsley Washington and double by Briana Perez tied up the ballgame until Maya Brady homered over the left field fence to put UCLA up 3-1.
Top of the fifth: Stewart led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run to bring the game within one run.
Top of the sixth: The U.S. exploded for five runs to take the lead for good. A solo home run by Mulipola tied up the ballgame and a double by Carda continued the offense with one out. Carda scored on a single by Reed and a sac fly from McCleney allowed Reed to score to make it a 5-3 game.
Stewart singled, advanced to third on a double by Aguilar and a single up the middle by Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) extended Team USA’s lead to four runs.
Top of the seventh: A leadoff single by Moultrie and walk to Mulipola put two runners on and a sac bunt by Carda moved both into scoring position. A sac fly by pinch hitter, Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.), put the Red, White and Blue up by five runs and a single by McCleney made it 9-3 in favor of Team USA.
Notables:
Stewart had a monstrous day at the plate with a 4-for-5 outing, tying a single-game high for hits for the U.S.
After entering in the bottom of the second inning, Abbott dealt straight heat. Striking out 14 batters in six innings of work, Abbott set the single-game high in strikeouts for the U.S. pitching staff.
McCleney continues to be a threat in the leadoff spot in the lineup. Reaching base at least once in each game she’s played on the tour, McCleney leads the offense with a .517 average. Aguilar has also been on base in the past nine contests played in the three-spot in the lineup and leads the offense with 19 RBI.
Abbott has amassed 68 strikeouts so far on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB. Averaging at least two strikeouts per innings pitched, Abbott has yet to allow a run to cross the plate in seven appearances in the circle.
#OlympiansMadeHere – Olympic Medals were on the field of play today as UCLA Assistant Coach Lisa Fernandez, a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, joined 2020 WNT members Abbott, Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) and development coach for Team USA Kelly Kretschman, as Olympians. In total, five Olympic Gold Medals and three Olympic Silver Medals were represented during the contest.
A strikeout by @monicaabbott ends the game and Team USA picks up a win over UCLA!
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) February 23, 2020
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The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour kicked off February 4 with the USA squad and runs through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops & Scores (as of Feb. 23, 2020)
Click on the “Event/Location” links to get info on how to purchase tickets.
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
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For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
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USA Softball: After Taking a Week Off, Stand Beside Her Tour Restarts in Southern California
Originally published Mar. 9, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Taylor Edwards hit a grand slam in Team USA’s 9-2 win Sunday over UC San Diego. Photo by USA Softball.
The “Stand Beside Her” tour presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) took a week off, but Team USA is back on the road now after playing a pair of college teams on Sunday in Irvine, California.
Below are the highlights from Sunday’s action and a look at the schedule for the next week…
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After a little over a week off, the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) was back in action on Sunday as the team continues to compete in a series of exhibition contests along the West Coast.
Bringing the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) to Southern California, Washington and Oregon, Team USA this week, the tour restarted with a doubleheader at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, California on Sunday.
The WNT picked up another pair of wins and is now a perfect 16-0 so far on the tour, outscoring opponents 131-19
Hosted by USA Softball of Southern California, the U.S. played two exhibition games yesterday at Bill Barber Park, returning to action in front of a crowd of 2,487 celebrating #InternationalWomensDay.
In their first contest of the day, Team USA defeated Cal State San Marcos 9-3 before notching a 9-2 win over UC San Diego in their exhibition doubleheader.
The bats were on 🔥 today as the #USASoftball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 picked up two wins in Irvine!
— USA Softball Women's National Team 🇺🇸 (@USASoftballWNT) March 9, 2020
The U.S. bats were hot all day, picking up double-digit hits in both wins with Ali Aguilar (Orangevale, Calif.) near perfect in a hot day at the plate. Aguilar drove in eight of the 18 runs scored by Team USA, going 7-for-8 with two home runs.
Team USA was also led by Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.), who hit a grand slam to drive in four runs.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 10), the Red, White and Blue teams heads to Santee, Calif. for a 5 p.m. PT contest against CSUN, which is led by 2020 WNT Assistant Coach Tairia Flowers. The team concludes their Southern California exhibition series with a nightcap against San Diego State University.
After California, the U.S. heads to Seattle, Wash. for a contest against No. 3 Washington on Thursday, March 12 before closing out the second leg of the tour in Oregon. Up first there will be a doubleheader against Portland State and Oregon State on March 17 in Hillsboro, Ore. before a March 18 doubleheader against Southern Oregon and No. 9 Oregon in Eugene, Ore.
USA 9, Cal State San Marcos 3
How they scored:
Bottom of the first: Team USA scored the first run of the game after a leadoff single by Haylie McCleney (Morris, Ala.). McCleney stole second and advanced to third on a ground ball before a fielder’s choice by Aguilar brought McCleney home.
Bottom of the second: Three-consecutive singles by Hannah Flippen (San Diego, Calif.), Aubree Munro (Brea, Calif.) and Janie Reed (Placentia, Calif.) loaded the bases for McCleney, who hit a ground ball to second to give Flippen time to score from third.
Bottom of the third: Aguilar led off with a double and moved to third with two outs before Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. A single to right field by Flippen plated Aguilar, putting Team USA up by three.
Top of the fourth: Cal State San Marcos tied up the game in the top of the fourth after a single, bunt and hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) struck out her next batter faced for the second out before a double to left brought in three runs.
Bottom of the fourth: Aguilar hit her first home run of the game with two outs, driving in Kelsey Stewart (Wichita, Kan.) on a ball hit over the centerfield fence.
Bottom of the sixth: Reed legged out a triple on a fly ball hit to right field and a walk to McCleney put runners on the corners. Aguilar hit her second home run of the game, this time over the right field fence. Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) walked and came around to score on a triple to right field by Moultrie to score the final run of the game.
A crowd of 2,487 was at Bill Barber Stadium to watch CSUSM take part in an experience of a lifetime as the Cougars played an exhibition against Team USA on Sunday. #BleedBlue#goCCAA#NCAAd2https://t.co/1SStVQGGnt
Top of the first: UC San Diego got on the board first after a leadoff single and two hit batters with two outs. A wild pitch allowed the runner at third to score, putting Team USA down 1-0.
Bottom of the first: The U.S. responded to an early run by UC San Diego with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Aguilar and Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.) singled with two outs before a walk to Edwards loaded the bases. A walk to Moultrie plated the first run and a single up the middle by Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, Calif.) put Team USA up by one.
Bottom of the second: Team USA broke the game open for good with four more runs in their next at-bat. A string of singles by Bubba Nickles (Merced, Calif.), Aguilar and Chidester loaded the bases for the second time in as many innings until Edwards collected her first grand slam of the tour to put the U.S. up 6-1.
Top of the third: UC San Diego responded with a run in the top of the third with a two-out rally. A double put a runner in scoring position and a single to right field plated the run.
Bottom of the third: The final runs of the game came in the third inning after a walk to Mulipola and back-to-back singles by Flippen and Stewart put runners on each base. With the bases loaded for the third-straight inning, a walk to Nickles brought in a run and a single to center by Aguilar brought in another.
What an amazing opportunity to play the 2020 Women's National Team this afternoon! We came up short in a 2-9 loss but held our own against the best of the best. 🇺🇸
— UC San Diego Softball (@UCSDsoftball) March 9, 2020
Notables:
Aguilar and Edwards lead the team with four home runs each through the tour. Edwards has amassed a 1.500 slugging percentage while Aguilar has a .957 slugging percentage through 16 contests.
Aguilar and McCleney are nearly unstoppable at the plate. The top two in the offense in batting average, McCleney has reached base in every contest played thus far on the tour while Aguilar is riding a 10-game hit streak with six of those contests being multi-hit games.
Carda and Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) picked up a complete-game win apiece in today’s doubleheader. Carda fanned 10 batters with three hits allowed in her seven-inning performance over Cal State San Marcos while Ricketts struck out six and allowed four hits in the win over UC San Diego.
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The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour kicked off February 4 with the USA squad and runs through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops & Scores (as of Mar. 9, 2020)
Click on the “Event/Location” links to get info on how to purchase tickets.
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
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For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
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USA Softball: Coronavirus Impacts Team USA’s “Stand Beside Her Tour” as Northwest Games Cancelled/Postponed
Originally published Mar. 12, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Ali Aguilar of the Women’s National Team was looking forward to returning to her alma mater, the University of Washington, to play an exhibition game against the Huskies, but the game was cancelled because of the coronavirus concerns. Photo: USA Softball.
Among the many being impacted in the softball world—colleges are restricting attendance at schools such as UCLA, Washington, Texas, Purdue, Stanford and others and conferences like the Ivy League are cancelling the spring seasons—the USA Women’s National Team (WNT) is facing canceled and postponed games as well.
What should be an exciting time for the Olympic Team as it travels the nation playing exhibitions in front of fans both old and young could be seriously jeopardized with the growing trend of fans being blocked from attending sporting events in large numbers.
Here’s the latest for Team USA’s Stand Beside Her Tour which, after taking a week off, came back and played two games on Sunday in Irvine, California in front of well over 2,000 fans…
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March 10 Games: CSUN & San Diego State
Inclement weather in the San Diego area caused the cancellation of the Santee, Calif. leg of the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball, USA Softball announced on Tuesday. The games against will not be made up at a later date.
USA Softball and USA Softball of Southern California also stated in a release on March 10 that: “(we are) disappointed to announce that tonight’s originally scheduled autograph session will not be taking place due to health concerns relating to the safety and well-being of athletes and fans.”
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March 12, 17-18 Games: Seattle, Hillsboro and Eugene Tour Stops Postponed
On Wednesday, USA Softball announced the following:
“After assessing the recent updates surrounding COVID-19, USA Softball has made the decision to postpone the Seattle, Hillsboro and Eugene “Stand Beside Her” tour stops, presented by Major League Baseball.
Heather Tarr, head coach of Washington and a WNT Assistant Coach.
While we understand the disappointment that may come with this decision, this decision was made in the best interest of the health and safety of our athletes, staff, fans and the softball community.
We will continue to monitor the situation surrounding the COVID-19 and will make necessary changes to keep us all safe and healthy. As the situation continues to develop, USA Softball will do our best to continue to keep our community informed.”
The games included:
a contest against the University of Washington today (Thursday, March 12) in Seattle,
games Tuesday, March 17 against Portland State and Oregon State in Hillsboro, Oregon,
games Wednesday, March 18 versus Southern Oregon and the Univ. of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.
The Univ. of Washington released the following regarding today’s cancelled game:
Washington Athletics Cancels Softball Game Against USA National Team
USA Softball has made the decision to postpone the Seattle, Hillsboro, and Eugene “Stand By Her” tour stops. This decision was made with the best interest of the health and safety of all players, staff, and fans within the softball community. More information on the possibility of rescheduling will be provided if and when it is available.
Washington is still scheduled to play Utah this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with those games closed to the public. Any updates or changes to that schedule will be made public as soon as possible.
Upcoming Games in Alabama
Pending any changes in this time of uncertainty, Team USA is scheduled to next play a pair of games in Alabama: March 31 against the Univ. of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and April 1 against Auburn Univ. in Auburn (see schedule below).
*****
The “Stand Beside Her” tour is a series of competitions and The “Stand Beside Her” message encourages fans everywhere to stand united in their support of the WNT and the United States in their journey to the Olympic Games.
The tour kicked off February 4 with the USA squad and runs through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) has announced over the last few months several additional stops on its Stand Beside Her Tour featuring a series of competitions and training opportunities for the 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) as it prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Olympic competition will start July 22, 2020 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
As created and first announced in August by USA Softball, the Stand Beside Her tour “evokes a powerful message of unity aimed to inspire communities to stand beside HER – the members of the WNT, America and the future generation of female athletes.”
Currently there are 36 stops on the tour hitting 18 states and extending from February 4 to June 25 prior to this summer’s Olympic Games.
Stand Beside Her Tour Stops & Scores (as of Mar. 12, 2020)
Click on the “Event/Location” links to get info on how to purchase tickets.
Here is a visual map of all the places Team USA will play on the Stand Beside Her Tour:
*****
For more information on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, you can visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
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USA Softball Cancels 2020 “Stand Beside Her Tour,” Other Events on Hold
Originally published Mar. 31, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
USA Softball announced Tuesday morning that the 2020 Stand Beside Her Tour has been cancelled for this year while other events are still pending. Photo by USA Softball.
With the growing COVID-19 pandemic, it comes as no surprise –though certainly very disappointing–that the “Stand Beside Her” tour across the country has been cancelled for the rest of this year.
The tour began in February and Team USA was able to play 16 games in Florida, Arizona and California winning them all before announcing on March 12 the first of the cancellations, games scheduled to be played in the Northwest.
USA Softball also announced that several other events have been put on hold.
Here’s the official release issued Tuesday morning…
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USA Softball has been following the developing COVID-19 pandemic as the safety and well-being of the USA Softball community continues to be a top priority for USA Softball.
“Stand Beside Her” tour presented by Major League Baseball (MLB)
USA Softball is announcing the cancellation of all originally scheduled 2020 stops on the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB). As it relates to the U.S. Olympic Softball Team and any potential new dates and stops for the “Stand Beside Her” tour, presented by MLB, there are still a lot of moving pieces and discussions to be had before determining appropriate next steps.
We understand the disappointment that may come with this decision as the softball community has waited 12 years to see the sport of softball return to the Olympic stage and have a U.S. Olympic Softball Team come to their city. Although the wait for our sport’s return to the Olympic Games has been delayed a bit longer, we can’t wait to watch these resilient athletes get back on the field when the day finally comes.
We understand that ticket holders and fans will have a variety of questions regarding the cancellation of a tour stop in their area. For ticket refund inquiries, youth clinic refund inquiries and general questions, please contact the appropriate tour stop hosts who will be able to provide that information as soon as it is available. As refund policies are available, they will be posted on each stop’s event page at StandBesideHerTour.com.
2020 Gold Ball Gala
The 2020 Gold Ball Gala, originally scheduled for May 27 in Oklahoma City, has been postponed until further notice.
2020 U-18 Women’s National Team Open Tryout
The registration period for the U-18 Women’s National Team (WNT) Open Tryout, which is tentatively scheduled for June 15-16 in Oklahoma City, has been put on hold. USA Softball will have a decision by May 11 on whether to hold or postpone the U-18 Women’s National Team Open Tryout, at which time we will open the registration process. In the event the U-18 WNT Open Tryout is canceled, USA Softball will offer registration refunds.
2020 USA Softball National Championships
USA Softball will make a determination by June 1 of the status of the 2020 USA Softball National Championship Finals and the 2020 USA Softball Junior Olympic (JO) Cup, which take place beginning in mid-July and run through the beginning of September.
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The tour will kick off in February with the USA squad competing in a pair of prestigious college tournaments and run through the summer right up to the start of the Tokyo games.
