Are there softball olympics

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That, to me, is what makes the Olympics so special. Contact Emily Adams at eaadams gannett. Facebook Twitter Email. After thrilling return in Tokyo, softball's Olympic future is uncertain. Show Caption. Getty Images. Our Latest Stories U. Watch Now:. Team USA softball vs. Australia: How to watch, stream Katherine Acquavella 1 min read. Vonn scatters grandfather's ashes Kevin Skiver 1 min read.

This is easier on the arm but doesn't produce as much velocity. Like their baseball counterparts, softball hurlers are capable of putting all kinds of filthy movement on their pitches by employing various grips that produce different spins and velocities.

This is another reason why the pitchers you'll see in the Olympic softball tournament can be just as tough to hit as a major-league star like two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom. And if you're untrained in deciphering their dark arts? Forget about it. In one famous experiment in , American star Jennie Finch's diabolical mix of fastballs and changeups proved untouchable for some of the greatest baseball hitters of all time.

Watch Pujols' attempt at catching up with Finch's heat here. Odds are we'll see another U. They're ranked No. But the No. They've come close before, placing fourth at the Olympics after losing their playoff game to eventual bronze medallist Australia. Also, Canada has taken bronze at three of the past five World Cups. Danielle Lawrie pitcher : The Olympian starred at the University of Washington, where she racked up the fourth-most career strikeouts in NCAA Division I history and helped the Huskies win the national championship in Lawrie once K'd 20 batters in a seven-inning game — one shy of the all-time D-I record.

The year-old from Langley, B. Victoria Hayward outfielder : Another former Huskie she and Lawrie missed each other by a year , Hayward became the youngest player ever on the Canadian softball team when she joined as a year-old in In her senior year at Washington, she led the Pac conference in stolen bases 28 and ranked fifth in batting average.