Mini International Softball Tournament Coming to Cal State Fullerton
Over the last five years, we have seen an increasing overlap between softball opportunities in the United States and those on the international level.
Whether it’s American-born players representing their countries of heritage outside of the U.S., the 2021 “Stand Beside Her” Tour, or the recent exhibition games featuring the Professional Softball League’s Atlanta Smoke against teams from the Liga Mexicana de Softbol (LMS), the sport continues to expand its presence on the global stage.
Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) recently announced it will play host to the Titans Mini International Tournament slated for Tuesday, Feb. 17. The Titans welcome Team Mexico, Team Japan, and Big West foe CSUN to Anderson Family Field for a one-day event consisting of three highly anticipated games.
The Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 17
CSUN vs. Team Mexico, 2 p.m.
Team Japan vs. Cal State Fullerton, 4:30 p.m.
Team Mexico vs. Team Japan, 7 p.m.
*all times listed in PT
Softball will host the Titans Mini International Tournament on Tuesday, Feb. 17, featuring Team Japan, Team Mexico and CSUN.
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) February 10, 2026
📰:https://t.co/DlgigVgsVa#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/emFByKupFo
With the LA28 Summer Olympics around the corner, Team Japan and Team Mexico are heavily preparing to be one of the six teams to qualify and punch a ticket to Oklahoma City. Team Japan is the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist and 2024 World Cup Champion. As of late, they have the upper hand against the United States, defeating them 2-0 in Tokyo nearly five years ago and 6-1in Italy, in each respective tournament.
Upon qualifying for its first Olympics in 2019, Mexico narrowly lost to Canada in Tokyo, 3-2, falling to a fourth-place finish.
The Titans Associate Head Coach Jorge Araujo has worked on Team Mexico's staff since 2019, originally at the helm of the junior national team, and recently took the head coach reins in 2022. Most recently, Araujo led Mexico to bronze at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games and placed sixth at the 2022 WBSC Americas World Cup qualifiers.
The Mexican ties run deep for the Titans. Three current student-athletes at Cal State Fullerton, including Alexia Lopez, Sarah Perez, and Jenica Silvas, have all suited up with Mexico across their chest, just like Araujo.
Cal State Fullerton is off to a 3-3 start for the 2026 campaign. At the Easton Classic, hosted by CSUF, the Titans downed then-ranked No. 24 Ole Miss, 5-4 in the opening game. They went on to split with Ole Miss, Portland State, and Boise State. CSUN's overall record sits at 1-4 after the first weekend of NCAA play.
Day passes for the upcoming Mini International Tournament are on sale now at the Cal State Fullerton website.
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Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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