Feature: China's pitcher Chai shines at Asia Cup as Olympic dream burns bright

by sportswriters Wang Meng and Yao Youming

XI'AN, China, July 18 (Xinhua) -- With blistering heat bearing down on the diamond and pressure mounting on the global stage, 23-year-old pitcher Chai Yinan rose to the occasion, delivering a dominant performance as China routed Malaysia 10-0 in just four innings Tuesday at the Women's Softball Asia Cup.

The early win was sealed by softball's mercy rule, thanks in large part to Chai, who struck out four batters in two innings. She also earned the win as pitcher in China's subsequent victories over Singapore on Wednesday and South Korea on Thursday.

"Facing weaker teams first and stronger ones later is really a war of attrition," Chai said after the win over Malaysia. "As a pitcher, my job is to use as few pitches as possible, end the game early if we can, and save our team's energy for the tougher matches ahead."

Born in 2001 in northwest China's Gansu Province, Chai came of age as China's softball development strategy expanded to promote recreational slow-pitch and school-level soft baseball nationwide. She started with soft-style play in elementary school and was assigned the pitcher's role early on due to her height.

"I've played other positions, but somehow I always circled back to pitching," said the 1.8-meter-tall athlete.

In a sport where a dominant pitcher can influence as much as 70% of a game's outcome, Chai embraces both the responsibility and the spotlight.

"If the pitcher doesn't allow runs, the team can't lose," she said. "As long as our hitters get us on the board, we'll win. But it's a heavy burden too. Our coach always reminds me: a fielding error might not cost the game, but a single mistake from the pitcher might."

Years of repetition, lonely hours on the mound and endless drills have defined her journey.

"Pitching is basically the same motion over and over," she said. "It gets tedious. Sometimes I felt like a lone warrior out there."

But she's quick to credit her teammates for making her feel part of something bigger.

"When I'm on the mound, I know it's nine of us versus one batter. And my teammates always tell me, 'Once Chai's up, we know we've got this.' That gives me a lot of confidence."

At just 15, Chai earned a spot on the national team and joined the Beijing Shougang Eagles for training and competition in the United States-an experience she described as a wake-up call.

"I really saw what it meant to have mountains beyond mountains," she said of her time overseas.

She was part of the Chinese squad that won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games and silver at the 2019 Asian Championships. However, in 2019, China fell short in the Asia/Oceania Olympic qualification tournament, missing out on the Tokyo Olympics. Chai, then the youngest player on the team, still carries the sting of that disappointment.

"I thought, if only I were stronger, maybe I could've helped those older teammates get to the Olympics," she said. "That regret still drives me."

Now competing in the first international event of the LA28 Olympic cycle, Chai led all pitchers with 29 strikeouts in 18 innings as of Thursday. Despite the sweltering conditions, she said the Chinese squad was building momentum and aiming high.

"We're pushing for second place at minimum, and ideally, we'll meet Japan in the final," said a determined Chai.

With only six teams expected to qualify for the 2028 Olympics, the Chinese Softball Association has laid out ambitious goals: qualify for the Games and finish in the top four. Chai, too, has personal aspirations.

"As I get older, my next step is to build up physically, keep my body in top condition, and mentally become the kind of player who can hold the field steady," she said. "That's what it'll take to chase the Olympic dream." ■