If it's true that so few girls actually get to play college softball
I think this is probably not as true as people think it is.
It is true, from a pure numbers standpoint, that a very small percentage of high school softball players go on to play in college. It's also true that a very small percentage of high school students who take a geometry class go on to study engineering.
In my time coaching high school ball, I've had 16 seniors graduate. None have gone on to play in college. I think three of them had the talent to do so if they really wanted to and found the right spot, but all three had non-softball college plans. 0 of my 16 players have played in college. 0 of my 16 players had any real intention to play in college (I am sure those three at least would happily join the school team if invited, but they're at D1 schools and they aren't D1 players; I do not consider that "wanting to play in college").
Why are we including those 16 girls in the stats about how few HS softball players get a chance to play in college?