Posted: Feb 19, 2013
FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton softball will take on Japan Toyota, a professional softball team from the Japan's Women Softball League in Japan, on Feb. 20, 2013 at Anderson Family Field at 3 p.m. The event is free to the public and gates will open at 2 p.m.
The Titans and Japan Toyota will play a seven-inning exhibition contest, as Japan Toyota gets ready for their upcoming season. Team Toyota comes over to the United States annually to play collegiate and professional teams to prepare for the Japan Softball League. Team Toyota features USA Softball Olympians Monica Abbott and Natasha Watley, who have won back-to-back Japan Softball League Championships (2011 & 2012).
Watley, a 2003 graduate from UCLA, has won an Olympic gold medal in 2004 in Athens and an Olympic silver medal in Beijing for Team USA. Watley also is a two-time Pan American Gold Medalist (2003 & 2007), three-time World Champion (2002, 2006, 2010), and a four-time World Cup Champion (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). As a four-time All- American shortstop, Watley, led her UCLA softball team to three straight Woman's College World Series and the NCAA Division 1 Softball Championship title in 2003. She was awarded the Honda- Broderick Cup for top collegiate female athlete as well as PAC 10 Player of the Year award, in 2003.
Watley, a 2003 graduate from UCLA, has won an Olympic gold medal in 2004 in Athens and an Olympic silver medal in Beijing for Team USA. Watley also is a two-time Pan American Gold Medalist (2003 & 2007), three-time World Champion (2002, 2006, 2010), and a four-time World Cup Champion (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). As a four-time All- American shortstop, Watley, led her UCLA softball team to three straight Woman's College World Series and the NCAA Division 1 Softball Championship title in 2003. She was awarded the Honda- Broderick Cup for top collegiate female athlete as well as PAC 10 Player of the Year award, in 2003.
Abbott, a 2007 graduate from the University of Tennessee, won an Olympic silver medal in Beijing in 2008 with the USA National team. As a Volunteer, Abbott won 189 games and struck out 2,440 batters in a four-year career. During her senior season she was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and named the 2007 Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year.
Cal State Fullerton will then head on the road to Palm Springs, Calif. on Thursday Feb. 21, 2013 to take on Loyola Marymount at 6 p.m. and the University of Tennessee at 8:30 p.m. The Titans return home for a doubleheader Saturday Feb. 23 versus the NO. 7 ranked Missouri Tigers starting at 2 p.m.