“Never limit yourself, never be satisfied, and smile-it’s free!” – Jennie Finch. Jennie Finch was born on Sept. 5, 1980, and grew up with her two brothers and parents in La Mirada, California. Ever since she was young, she had a love for baseball, so she was excited when her parents signed her up for t-ball at five years old. A few years later, she began pitching, which ultimately jumpstarted her passion.

Finch went to La Mirada High School and then attended the University of Arizona where she accomplished many things as a softball player. In her freshman year, she pitched a no-hitter and by the time she was a sophomore, she had the best batting average in her team!

In her career, she pitched for the Chicago Bandits, Arizona Wildcats, and in the Olympics for Team USA. Not only was she known as a fantastic pitcher, but Finch also played as a hitter and a first baseman as well. In 2009, she was awarded the United States Softball Player of the Year and received other recognitions such as World Cup Champion, Japan Cup MVP, and Japan Cup Champion. Despite these achievements, she also had to deal with personal struggles such as a knee and a forearm injury, but probably her biggest struggle was being away from her family as her sport required a lot of time and travel. In 2010, Finch announced her retirement and has turned her focus onto her three kids and husband, former baseball pitcher, Casey Daigle. 

Finch leaves a legacy that will be with many other softball players, especially pitchers. She hit 72 miles-per-hour while pitching, influencing many others to do the same. Even though she had amazing talent, her hard work and dedication also helped her strive forward as one of the best players in softball.