April 17, 2008

BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University will team up with little league softball players to jumpstart Little League Softball Day on Saturday, April 26 at the FAU Softball Stadium, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. The Owls will host Middle Tennessee University in a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader starting at 6 p.m.

"This is an opportunity for all Little League players in the area to come out and see Division I softball," said Joan Joyce, FAU head softball coach. "Little League is a great organization, and it provides an opportunity for girls to learn the sport the right way."

Little League players dressed in their team uniforms will be admitted to the game for $1. The players will be admitted onto the field to meet FAU players and coaches in between games of the doubleheader.

"As a way of recognizing little league softball and in appreciation of the college softball an in appreciation of the college softball experience, Little League International is reaching out to communities by Little League Softball Days," said Stephen D. Keener, president and chief executive officer of Little League baseball and softball. "For the second straight year, this initiative will afford young athletes of all ages the chance to enjoy the game of softball at its finest. They will have the complete game experience from warmups to the game's end."

Little League softball has more than 366,000 players worldwide and is played in nearly all of the United States. Each summer, Little League International operates four World Series tournaments for softball in which world champions in the divisions of little league (ages 11-12), junior league (13-14), senior league (14-16) and big league softball (16-18) are crowned. Each of the championship games in those tournaments will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2.