OKLAHOMA CITY – USA Softball announced today three additional exhibition games added to the U.S. Women’s National Team (WNT) training schedule prior to the 2022 World Games set to be held in Birmingham, Ala. July 9-13. Following its July 4 matchups in Columbus, Ga., the world-ranked No. 1 Team USA will travel to Oxford, Ala. July 5-6 where they will compete in a series of contests against world-ranked No. 8 Australia, No. 2 Japan and the USSSA Pride who join the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) for its inaugural season. Hosted by USA Softball of Alabama, the matchups will play a key part in Team USA’s preparation for the World Games at Hoover Met Stadium, which will signify as the 2022 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup.
The USSSA Pride will kick off the action on July 5 with contests against Australia (11 a.m. CT) and Japan (1:30 p.m. CT) before the U.S. steps in for a pair of evening games against the two countries at 5 p.m. CT and 7:30 p.m. CT, respectively. The competition will continue on July 6 with a rematch between Australia and the Pride at 2 p.m. CT before the U.S. WNT caps the action in Oxford with a 4:30 p.m. CT contest against the Pride. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday, May 31.
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With a nationally-ranked and award-winning sports complex, Choccolocco Park features seven softball fields in addition to an 800-seat stadium with two batting cages, locker rooms, a press box, Musco Lighting, restrooms, and a concession stand. The 300+ acre park also includes baseball, track & field, cross country and soccer amenities as well as walking and bike trails around a 30-acre lake, an 18-hole disc golf course, a fully accessible Boundless Playground and is part of the historic Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail.
During the exhibition games in Oxford, the 18-player World Games roster will include four additional USA Softball WNT members from the Canada Cup and Japan All-Star Series rosters to assist with training efforts leading up to the World Games. Joining the squad will be Sahvanna Jaquish, Baylee Klingler, Kelly Maxwell and Kathryn Sandercock.
Head Coach Heather Tarr (Head Coach at Washington) will lead the Red, White and Blue alongside previously named World Games assistant coaches Cindy Ball-Malone (Head Coach at UCF), Tony Baldwin (Head Coach at Georgia) and Tim Walton (Head Coach at Florida). Also joining the World Games coaching staff in Oxford are recently announced Canada Cup and Japan All-Star Series assistant coaches Jimmy Kolaitis (Assistant Coach at ASU), Brian Kolze (Head Coach at Pacific) and Mike Steuerwald (Head Coach at Gaston College).
Media interested in acquiring additional information should contact Morgan Palmer (mpalmer@usasoftball.com).