NEW YORK β Gold medalist Jennie Finch is pitching youth softball this spring as an ambassador for Major League Baseball.
The commissioner's office announced Wednesday that she'll join Cal Ripken Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr. as MLB youth ambassadors.
The former Arizona Wildcats star says she's excited to work on the grass-roots level to let "girls know that MLB is passionate and truly cares about the sport of softball." It will return as an exhibition sport at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Finch will take part in events in Compton, California, in April, Oklahoma City in June and Miami and Vero Beach, Florida, in July. The softball RBI World Series begins Aug. 6 in Cincinnati.
Finch led Arizona to the 2001 NCAA softball title, won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver at the 2008 Beijing Games. She pitched for the Chicago Bandits in the National Pro Fastpitch league from 2005-10.
