The coronavirus took the game away from Lisa Birocci Banse in early March. The Des Moines native had flown to Guatemala from her home in State College, Pennsylvania, to play in leagues there. The Iowa softball legend is a member of the Italian Olympic national team.

“I wanted to pitch some games and get some live at-bats,” Banse said. The virus had not yet reached pandemic state. That quickly changed. Banse barely made it to Guatemala when officials told her the country wanted all foreign nationals to leave in an effort to contain the spread.