Perennial favourites USA aiming to tri-peat as Women's Softball World Champions
Describing women's softball in the United States means a picture out of reach for many programmes around the world. Girls play softball in 1,604 universities and 15,406 schools. The (conservative) estimate of registered players is close to one million.
The United States won the last Women's Softball World Cup in 2018 and repeated as the World Champions, claiming gold at the 2022 World Games. They are the obvious favourites at the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024, which take place in Castions di Strada, Italy from 15-20 July.
"USA Softball embraces the target on its back, and we are striving to see how good we can get, not only as a team this summer but as a programme," head coach Heather Tarr told the WBSC. "We are motivated to be a programme others look to for guidance on achieving greatness."
Tarr, 39, starred at the University of Washington and for the professional Tampa Bay FireStix as a player and led the Huskies to a Women's Softball College World Series title in 2009 and a runner-up finish in 2018 as the head coach. She became the National Team head coach in October 2021. Before that, she led the US to the WBSC U-19 Women's Softball World Cup 2019 title on home soil in Irvine, California.
A start on Tarr's U-19 USA side was Megan Faraimo, who is part of the 2024 pitching staff. According to Tarr, the point is not whether Faraimo can be as dominant at the World Cup Finals level.
"It is rewarding to see players in our programme have experiences as younger players and see them growing into dominant women. Their careers playing in the United States, collegiately, professionally and professionally abroad continue to grow our women and make them who they are now."
The US dominated the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group A tournament last year. They finished 4-0 with a .326 batting average and three home runs. Their pitchers (Faraimo, Ally Carda, Montana Fouts and Kelly Maxwell) didn't allow a run in 25 innings.
Faraimo, Carda, a Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, and Maxwell are on the World Cup Finals roster. Rachel Garcia, also on the 2020 Olympic roster, will complete the pitching staff. There are two more Tokyo 2020 silver medallists (catcher Dejah Mulipola and outfielder Haylie McCleney). Faraimo, Carda and Maxwell are three of the eight players returning from the 2023 roster, with infielder Sis Bates, catcher Mia Davidson, outfielder Jocelyn Alo and utilities Hannah Flippen and Savannah Jaquish.
"Our team possesses experience and some youth, which, in combination, allows us to be a force," commented Tarr. "We expect to pitch well, play great defence, and compete long and hard enough to get the timely hit when needed."
World No. 1 USA will compete in Group A. They will face No. 5 Canada on July 15, No. 6 Italy on July 16 and No. 17 China on July 17. Group A's top two finishers will face Group B (No. 2 Puerto Rico, No. 3 Japan, No. 8 Netherlands and No. 10 Australia) top two in the Super Round.
The first and second-placed teams of the Super Round will play for the Women's Softball World Title on Saturday, July 20.
Will it be the USA vs. Japan once more? "Our mission is to approach this tournament day by day, inning by inning, pitch by pitch," said Tarr, "Competing to be at our best when our best is needed until the end."