Last Updated on May 9, 2023 by Amber Heard
Olympic Softball Schedule
If you’re curious about the olympic softball schedule, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn about the history of the sport, who’s playing, and what the rules are for this tournament. You’ll also discover the rosters and other important information about the sport.
olympic softball roster
The United States women’s softball team is the national softball team of the United States. This team competes in international softball competitions. It is governed by USA Softball. The roster features players of varying experience levels and ages. Its goal is to win gold at the Olympic Games.
The team will feature 15 players. Most of the roster comes from college players, and it’s unlikely that many of those players will be playing professionally. Still, it’s an exciting development for softball. The team will represent the United States and compete against other nations for gold in Tokyo. Each country will play the other five teams in the Opening Round, and the teams are seeded according to their Gold Medal and Bronze Medal games.
Softball’s return to the Olympic stage has been long anticipated. The first game will feature host nation Japan against Australia. It will be televised on Tuesday evening in North America. Besides the United States, Japan, Canada and Italy are making their Olympic debuts as well. Keep in mind that Japan is 13 hours ahead of Eastern and Pacific time zones, so games played in the early morning will be aired in the evening in the United States.
olympic softball rules
The rules and schedule of the softball competition at the 2021 Olympics will follow a fairly standard format. Each team will have a roster of 15 players and play seven-inning regulation games. Games will be played with two first-base bags to prevent collisions, a 20-second clock between pitches, and designated players. Games will also include a mercy rule and extra-inning tiebreakers. The official ball will be a Mizuno 150 12-inch softball.
The USA softball squad will begin the tournament as the world No. 1 in softball and will face Japan in the gold medal game on Tuesday. The two teams last met in the group stage and USA prevailed 2-1, putting the country on the brink of a fourth gold medal in the sport’s history.
olympic softball history
Softball made its debut in the Olympic program at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when the United States was leading the world in the sport. Despite losing their opening game to Australia, the U.S. won all seven games in the tournament and captured the gold medal in the final. However, this first softball gold medal game wasn’t without controversy.
The format of Olympic softball tournaments has changed over the years. In the past, teams played in group play and a single-round robin format. In the 2021 Games, there will be only six teams, and the top two teams will face off for gold on July 27. The finals will be played on a single, 12-inch Mizuno softball.
The United States has won three gold medals in the past six Olympic softball competitions. The 2004 gold medal team was led by Monica Abbott and Jennie Finch, with Monica Abbott combining to throw every pitch in the gold-medal game. In 2008, the United States was led by a right-handed pitcher in the form of Rachel Garcia. Garcia is the Collegiate Player of the Year and led the UCLA Bruins to a College World Series championship.
