The 2020 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) will play an exhibition doubleheader in Springfield Wednesday, June 3, 2020 as the “Stand Beside Her” tour rolls through the United States in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Springfield will host Team USA at the Springfield-Greene County Park Board’s Killian Softball Stadium, 2141 E. Pythian St., at 5:30 p.m., with the second game beginning about 35 minutes after the end of the first. Tickets range from $25-$10 and will go on sale Tuesday, March 3 at ParkBoard.org.

Softball returns to the Olympic program in 2020 for the first time since 2008. Springfield hosted the USA Softball Women’s National Team in their way to the Olympic Games 2008 as well as 2004, both at Meador Park.

Springfield Mayor Ken McClure said he looks forward to the team’s return.

“It is a tremendous honor for Springfield to be included in the USA Softball ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour,” said McClure. “Our city has such a rich softball history, dating back to the early 1920’s, and our Springfield Amateur Softball Association was founded in 1935. Killian Softball Stadium, where the games will be played, is home to Missouri State University Softball and has hosted numerous state and national championships, including the NAIA World Series earlier this year. The Stand Beside Her Tour continues that strong heritage. We wish Team USA every success on their way to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.”

USA Softball of Missouri Commissioner Joey Rich said the team’s appearance in Springfield is a rare treat for softball fans.

“What a great opportunity our city has to watch some of the best softball athletes in the world as they move closer to the 2020 Olympics,” said Rich. “Even non-softball fans will enjoy this rare opportunity.”

With the return of softball to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games program, the “Stand Beside Her” tour 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.

“We are so excited to be heading to Springfield, Missouri, for a stop on the ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour,” said 2020 WNT member Valerie Arioto. “Missouri is playing an instrumental role in hosting and facilitating our training in pursuit of a Gold Medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. There is no doubt that Missouri will bring a great atmosphere and the fans will be a vital part of our journey.”

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.

Additional stops for the “Stand Beside Her” tour will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit StandBesideHerTour.com.

About USA Softball

USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations. USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), visit, www.USASoftball.com.