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NPF Announces Fall Tour

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:06:21 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (September 1, 2010) – National Pro Fastpitch announced today, in cooperation with USSSA, a tour of NPF All Stars that will be focused on competing with college teams throughout the fall. The NPF “Back to School – College Tour” presented by USSSA will kick off next week on September 10th in Memphis, TN against the University of Memphis softball team.

This fall tour will follow up a very successful 2010 season for National Pro Fastpitch that culminated with the League’s Championship Series in Sulphur, LA last weekend. The USSSA Florida Pride left Sulphur with the 2010 Championship Series trophy in hand as the Chicago Bandits captured the regular season championship for the 5th time in NPF’s short history.

The NPF Back To School – College Tour presented by USSSA will make over 15 stops on college campuses across the United States competing against some of the nation’s best college programs in their fall seasons. Team NPF will be comprised of athletes from all four of the NPF Teams (Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Tennessee Diamonds, and USSSA Florida Pride) and will include an accomplished list of competitors.

The Tour will kick off on September 10th in Memphis, Tennessee and will culminate on November 15th in Daytona Beach, Florida. In between Team NPF will make stops at Ole Miss, UMKC, Missouri Western, Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico State, UTEP, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Tulsa, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida State, Florida, San Diego State, Texas, and Daytona Beach.

Team NPF will be decorated group of professionals with well seasoned and impressive resumes including Olympic Gold Medalists and NPF Champions and Award winners. Athletes playing on the tour will include: Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, Andrea Duran, Fransesca Enea, Vicky Galindo, Alissa Haber, Kelly Kretschman, Caitlin Lever, Jessica Mendoza, Stacy May, Charlotte Morgan, Sarah Pauly, and many more.

USSSA and NPF will also be coordinating clinics at some of the Tour stops. Information on clinic times, locations, and costs will be forthcoming. All admission to games will go through the respective colleges and universities.

For more information, contact the NPF office at info@profastpitch.com or 615-232-2900; or you can contact USSSA at 800-741-3014.

National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The League, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).
The USSSA Florida Pride joined the NPF as a franchise team in November of 2009, operated by Florida Pride LLC. USSSA managed the Pride Team during 2009, culminating their inaugural season with a second place finish in the Championship Series and most recently captured the 2010 Championship Series Title. USSSA Florida Pride is sponsored by USSSA, the world’s largest amateur sports association, and is headquartered in Kissimmee, Florida.

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USSSA Florida Pride Win 2010 NPF Cowles Cup

Fastpitch.US — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:13:32 +0000

Sulphur, La. — Facing a decisive game three in the 2010 National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series, the Florida Pride handed the ball to ace pitcher Cat Osterman. Osterman was electric, pitching her way to a complete game, two hit, two run, seven strikeout performance.

Osterman and the Pride out pitched and out hit the Bandits, putting seven runs off 12 hits on the scoreboard. Osterman held Chicago to just two runs on two hits, both Samantha Findlay home runs, for a 7-2 victory. The end of this game not only marked the end of the playoffs, but also the end of two illustrious careers for the Bandits — Jennie Finch and Stacy May.

Leading off the top of the second, Bandits first baseman Samantha Findlay stepped up to face off with Pride pitcher Osterman. Findlay proceeded to blast the first pitch deep over the left field wall for the solo home run, giving the Bandits a 1-0 lead.

With runners on first and second in the bottom of the second, Pride third baseman Andrea Duran dropped a bunt back to Bandits pitcher Kristina Thorson. Duran would be out on the play, but both runners would advance to second and third base.

Lauren Lappin, struggling in earlier playoff games, redeemed herself by blasting an 0-1 change up to the left field fence, scoring two runs to give Florida a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Bandits starting pitcher Thorson was pulled following the double for Nikki Nemitz. With Lappin on second, Tonya Callahan blasted her own double, scoring Lappin for a 3-1 Pride lead.

Nemitz stopped the bleeding shortly after, getting the Bandits out of the inning down by two runs. Thorson finished the 1.1 innings of work with three runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.

It was rookie versus rookie as Charlotte Morgan faced off with Chicago’s Nikki Nemtiz. Morgan got the better of the two in the bottom of the third, ripping a solo home run over the left field wall to give the Pride a 4-1 lead.

With two on and no outs, Kelly Kretschman continued her hot hitting, blasting a two RBI single to right field, giving the Pride a 6-1 lead. Immediately following the single, Nemitz was replaced by Jessica Sallinger in the pitchers circle.

Nemitz finished the game with 1.2 innings pitched, seven hits for three runs and one strikeout in 12 batters faced. Bases were loaded with no outs as Sallinger stepped into the circle to face the potent Pride lineup. Sallinger stopped the bleeding as she got three straight Florida batters to ground out.

The bleeding continued just one inning later as Natasha Watley blasted a solo home run over the centerfield fence to put the Pride up 7-1.

With three outs left till elimination, Chicago’s Samantha Findlay blasted off on Cat Osterman for the second time in the game, bringing the score to 7-2. The home run would be the final time the Bandits touched the scoreboard, losing in the 2010 NPF Championship Series final to the Pride, 7-2.

The championship victory is the second consecutive National Pro Fastpitch trophy for Cat Osterman and the first ever in Florida Pride history.

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Finch Throws Perfect Game

Fastpitch.US — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:43:30 +0000

Tension was thick in the ball park as Crystl Bustos stepped up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Not because she could win the game for the Akron Racers (12-7), but because she had the opportunity to ruin Jennie Finch’s (1-1) no hitter.

Bustos would ground out to Christine Knauer at short stop to end the game with a 2-0 Bandits (11-8) win.

Stacy May started off the game strong for the Bandits with a solo shot over the left field fence in the first inning. Finch helped herself out in the fifth inning with a bases loaded sacrifice fly to score Vicky Galindo for the final score of 2-0.

Finch of course pitched a great game, notching eleven strikeouts on the night including all three Akron batters in the sixth, but had the backup of her team mates, “Our defense, especially (Ashley) Holcombe came up huge. She caught so many fouled third strikes,” said Finch.

Everybody’s stomachs dropped in the seventh inning when leadoff hitter Lisa Modglin ripped a hard line drive on a 1-2 count, but Galindo’s glove at second base would reach just far enough to snag the ball for the out.

This is Finch’s second perfect game with the Bandits, her first coming in the 2009 season against the Philadelphia Force.

With Finch and others being away with the National Team recently, the pitching staff for the Bandits has had to work extra hard, “I owe this team,” said Finch, “the pitching staff has endured a lot of innings.”

Needless to say, the Bandits are glad to have Finch on their side.

Tonight’s win ties the series up at one game a-piece. Game three between the Bandits and Racers will take place tomorrow, Saturday, July 10 at 7:05 back at Judson University in Elgin.

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Bandits Welcome Third Coach To The Bench

Fastpitch.US — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:10:29 +0000

ELGIN, Ill. – Chicago Bandits general manager Aaron Moore announced today the addition of a third coach to the Bandits coaching staff. Georgia Southern University softball coach Maggie Johnson will join Bandits head coach Mickey Dean and assistant coach Mike Steuerwald as an assistant coach on the Bandits staff.
“I am appreciative and excited about the opportunity to work with Mickey Dean and the Chicago Bandits,” said Johnson. “Working with a program and with athletes that play the game of softball at the highest level is an amazing honor, and I look forward to contributing to the success of the Bandits this season.”

Johnson became the fourth head coach in Georgia Southern fast-pitch history in June, 2008. The Raleigh, N.C. native led the GSU Eagles to 29-25 (14-10) record in her first season becoming just the first Georgia Southern coach to post a winning record in their first season.

“I look forward to working with her again,” said Bandits head coach Mickey Dean. “She was my assistant at Radford and I feel she’ll be a great addition to our staff because she’s been a student of the game and knows the game very well.”

Johnson guided the Eagles to their fourth straight championship game appearance in the Southern Conference Tournament. After dropping the first game of the tournament GSU won four straight games to advance to the championship game.

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Crystl Bustos Returns To Racers Lineup For 2010 Campaign

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:24:50 +0000

AKRON, Ohio (June 3, 2010) – Due to several unforeseen circumstances surrounding the Akron Racers roster, Owner and General Manager Joey Arrietta has reinstated two-time Olympic gold medalist and former field manager Crystl Bustos, effective immediately.

Bustos will resign from her role as the team’s field manager while George Bustos and Shawn Reis collaborate to assume coaching responsibilities as co-field managers for the 2010 campaign. With the season less than a week away and four unexpected changes to the roster, Arrietta decided the reinstatement of Bustos would be the best solution for the immediate future of the Racers organization.

No stranger to the Racers, Bustos has been affiliated with the team since 1999 and was poised to end her career in 2009 in lieu of a coaching role with the organization. Bustos’ impressive 2009 season was cemented in her sweep of both NPF Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year accolades. As one of seven Racers named to the All-NPF Team, Bustos was a critical component to the Racers’ lineup, ending the regular season as the league leader in batting average (.382), finished second in the league with 10 homeruns and a team-high 27 RBI.

The Racers open the 2010 National Professional Fastpitch season in Tennessee against the Diamonds, June 9-13. Akron travels to Chicago for a three-game set June 20-22 before returning to the Rubber City, June 24-27 to host Chicago in the team’s home opening series.

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Dynasty 6 to Play Prince George’s County Firefighters in Season Debut Game

Fastpitch.US — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:19:23 +0000

Sparks, MD – The Dynasty 6,a team of six professional-level players that travels across the country taking on teams of all-male challengers, will make its season debut against the PGFD Softball Team, it was announced today. The game will take place at 5p.m. June 12 at the Robert E. Taylor Softball Stadium at the University of Maryland. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to The Burn Center at Washington Hospital Center and towards the advancement of breast cancer research.

The Dynasty 6 is a team of select women from the traveling U.S. Professional All-Stars, which also will be competing that same weekend in College Park, that includes 2008 College Player of the Year Angela Tincher, U.S. National Team members Katie Cochran and Ashley Charters and U.S. Futures Team member Jenae’ Leles. These six players will compete against full teams of male challengers in charity events around the country. This group, created in honor of the hugely successful King and His Court and Queen and Her Court/Maids teams that toured the country for years, will take on local firefighters, police, military personnel, celebrities, professional athletes from other sports and so on.

The Burn Center at Washington Hospital Center is the only adult burn treatment center in the Washington metropolitan area. “The Burn Center has saved the lives of numerous civilians and firefighters throughout the Washington metropolitan area,” said Christian Wargo, team captain for PGFD Softball. “We are very appreciative of the hard work and expertise that Dr. Jordan and Dr. Jeng have provided to us over the years and are happy to continue to raise funds for the Center.”

The Dynasty 6 – PGFD game is part of a fastpitch festival weekend that will consist of a Friday night game featuring the U.S. Professional All-Stars against a team of collegiate all-stars. That contest will get underway at 7 p.m. Those two teams will meet again Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., followed by the Dynasty 6 charity game at 5 p.m. Players will be available throughout the event to sign autographs and answer questions from players, parents and coaches, and there will be several mini-clinics with the pros beginning Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

Tickets, which cost $5 per person for each individual game or $10 for a weekend pass that includes admission to all three contests, can be purchased by calling 410-472-3500 or at www.USAllStarTeam.com. Players and coaches interested in participating in the mini-clinics also should call that number.

The PGFD Softball Team was formed more than 35 years ago by many of the current players’ fathers. The team plays in multiple events throughout the year, including the annual Las Vegas Fire Department Softball Tournament in which they took 2nd place this year. The team also hosts The International Association of Fire Fighters MDA Softball Tournament where over one hundred teams of firefighters and paramedics come together from across North America to play softball and raise money to fight neuromuscular diseases. Over the years, the Prince George’s County Professional Firefighters have donated over $1.6 million dollars to Jerry’s Kids.

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Tennessee Diamonds Headquarters Move

Fastpitch.US — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:03:40 +0000

Nashville – National Pro Fastpitch released today that the Tennessee Diamonds NPF team will be moving operational headquarters from Alcoa, TN to Nashville, TN.

The Tennessee Diamonds team is the newest club in the NPF and was slated to begin play in the 2010 season. The team was originally purchased by an investor group in East Tennessee and planned to play in Alcoa. For reasons unknown, the investor group has not funded the team and has not complied with other contractual commitments made to NPF and certain of its affiliate companies. As a result, NPF and those affiliates are currently evaluating their legal options and remedies with respect to the investor group.

“We have no familiarity with the East Tennessee market, so leaving the team there and trying to make it work with marketing and front office support just didn’t make sense,” commented NPF Commissioner, Cheri Kempf. “The decision to move the team to Nashville to a softball environment and community that I am personally familiar with, is our best chance to succeed in this unfortunate position we’ve been handed.”

Two weeks ago, the League’s most notable trade in history occurred moving Cat Osterman from Tennessee to the USSSA Florida Pride. Exchange for University of Tennessee legend, Monica Abbott. Osterman’s catcher and former University of Texas teammate, Megan Willis was also traded for former University of Tennessee and Abbott battery-mate, Shannon Doepking.

Key notable athletes for the Tennessee Diamonds are Monica Abbott, Shannon Doepking, Megan Gibson, and Chelsea Spencer. Abbott was a part of the Silver Medal winning USA Olympic Team. In 2007, Abbott was named by the Women’s Sports Foundation “Team Sport Athlete of the Year”. Abbott also set the bar high by at University of Tennessee by breaking many records. She led Tennessee to their first ever WCWS Finals in 2007. Abbott’s battery mate, Doepking, will join the Tennessee Diamonds for the 2010 Season. As a member of Tennessee, Doepking helped lead to three consecutive WCWS berths from 2005-07, a SEC Tournament (2006) and regular-season championship (2007) and 246 victories during her four years at Tennessee. Gibson will be entering her third season in the NPF. She is most noted to be the only Big 12 Player to be named Pitcher and Player of the year. She helped lead Texas A&M to the WCWS Finals in 2008. Spencer will be entering her sixth year with the NPF and helped lead the Rockford Thunder to a 2009 Championship. In Spencer’s Freshman year at Cal, she helped lead her team to a 2002 WCWS Championship.

Front Office Management has been put into place to lead the Tennessee Diamonds in their new Nashville location. Ernie Reynolds has recently been name General Manager and will oversee complete operational control of the team. Reynolds will be assisted by former NPF player, Lisa Iancin in the position of Assistant General Manager. Playing location and Head Coach are yet to be announced.

The Diamonds will open their NPF season June 9th against the Akron Racers at 7:30 pm.

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All-Pro Dynasty Fastpitch Professional Teams To Train & Play At University Of Maryland

Fastpitch.US — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:40:43 +0000

Sparks, MD – The U.S. Professional All-Stars and Dynasty 6, a pair of traveling professional women’s fastpitch teams created by Maryland-based firm API Sports Management & Marketing and Atlanta-based Dynasty Media and Entertainment, LLC, will hold their preseason training camp and open play for their summer 2010 tour next month at the University of Maryland. The teams will train at Maryland from June 5-10 before hosting a festival weekend that will include three games, meet-and-greet opportunities and interactive clinics June 11-12 at the Robert E. Taylor Softball Stadium on the university’s campus.

The weekend will consist of a Friday night game featuring the U.S. Professional All-Stars against a team of collegiate all-stars. That contest will get underway at 7 p.m. Those two teams will meet again Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., followed by a Dynasty 6 charity game at 5 p.m. Players will be available throughout the event to sign autographs and answer questions from players, parents and coaches, and there will be several mini-clinics with the pros beginning Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

The U.S. Professional All-Stars is a team comprised of current and former U.S. National Team players, U.S. Futures Team players, former college All-Americans and national champions. That team will compete during the festival weekends against top women’s teams from around the country, international teams, teams of college all-stars and possibly in fall tournaments against college teams. Some players who have committed to play for the All-Stars include 2008 College Player of the Year Angela Tincher, U.S. National Team members Katie Cochran and Ashley Charters and U.S. Futures Team member Jenae’ Leles.

The Dynasty 6 is a six-person team of select women from the U.S. Professional All-Stars, including those named above, who will compete against any full team of male challengers in charity events during the festival weekends and throughout the year. This group, created in honor of the hugely successful King and His Court and Queen and Her Court/Maids teams that toured the country for years, will take on local firefighters, police, military personnel, celebrities, professional athletes from other sports, etc.

The U.S. Professional All-Stars and the Dynasty 6 teams will tour the country starting in June, participating in similar weekend fastpitch festivals in locations such as Atlanta; Baltimore-Washington; New York; Worcester, MA; Norfolk, VA; and Tulsa, OK. Dates and times of each event – along with additional locations – will be announced shortly.

The goal of All-Pro Dynasty Fastpitch is to open doors for the millions of young girls playing the sport to interact with female professional role models, learn from athletes who have reached the sport’s highest level and see that they can pursue fastpitch into college and beyond. In turn, the hope is to expose the sport and its athletes to new demographics and markets around the country and help the hard-working
pro-level fastpitch athletes be able to truly make a living doing what they love while at the same time giving back to the sport.

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USSSA Florida Pride Makes Preseason Move

Fastpitch.US — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:42:51 +0000

Kissimmee, Fla. – In a stunning pre-season move, the USSSA Florida Pride announced today that they have traded veteran pitcher Monica Abbott to the Tennessee Diamonds in exchange for Diamonds’ pitcher Cat Osterman. Also being traded is Pride catcher Shannon Doepking, with Tennessee’s Megan Willis joining the Pride roster in her place.

This trade comes off the heels of another impressive signing to the Pride roster, with Team USA member and former Olympian Andrea Duran joining a team already brimming with talent.

The pitching and catching duo of Cat Osterman and Megan Willis have been playing together since their time at the University of Texas where the two not only garnered national attention on an individual level but also for the bond they formed that seemed to be able to take down any opponent. The former Longhorns once again joined forces in 2009 when the two started for the NPF’s Rockford Thunder, leading their team to the League Championship and ultimately the League title.

On an individual level, both Osterman and Willis have both accumulated impressive stats. Osterman, prior to winning the NPF’s Most Valuable Player for the 2009 season, was a two-time Pan American Gold Medalist, two-time World Cup Champion, and 2006 World Champion. She is also a two-time Olympic medalist, having earned gold at the 2004 games in Athens, Greece, and silver in 2008 in Beijing, China.

Osterman and Willis’s move to the Pride is simply a continuation of two already impressive careers that, together, have made an impact on the softball field.

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Tim Walton Named USSSA Pride Head Coach!

Fastpitch.US — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:28:33 +0000

May 5th, 2010, University of Florida head softball coach Tim Walton was named the head coach of the National Professional FastPitch’s (NPF) USSSA Florida Pride. In addition to his duties at Florida, Walton will coach the 2010 pro team as the schedule runs through the summer.

“I am grateful to Mr. Don DeDonatis for this opportunity,” Walton said of the Pride’s owner and general manager. “I also want to thank UF Athletics Director Jeremy Foley for allowing me to be involved with the Pride this summer while also attending to my duties at Florida.”

In his fifth year at UF, Walton is the winningest coach in program history, tallying a 262-64 (.804) record with the Gators. Getting his start at Wichita State, he is 386-128 (.751) in his eighth career season. He coached the Gators to the Women’s College World Series twice, including a trip to the championship series, brought home two Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles and earned SEC Coach of the Year twice. UF has made the NCAA Tournament every year of his tenure and hosted Regionals all four times. He has coached 12 All-Americans, 14 NFCA All-Southeast Region honorees, 18 All-SEC selections, two SEC Pitchers of the Year and a Player of the Year and the UF coaching staff has earned NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year three years running.

“The USSSA Pride has assembled a world class team over the last several months and there is no question that we need a world class coach to lead them this summer,” DeDonatis said. “Coach Walton exemplifies the way a professional team should be run. We are extremely happy with his decision to coach the USSSA Pride.”

Walton will be coaching a familiar face as current senior Francesca Enea (Woodland Hills, Calif.) was drafted ninth overall by the Pride in the senior draft in February. The Orlando squad also took Alabama’s Charlotte Morgan, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, as the first overall pick in the draft. The Pride roster currently boasts seven former Olympians: Andrea Duran, Kelly Kretschman, Lauren Lappin, Caitlin Lowe, Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman and Natasha Watley.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Walton said. “Not only will I provide leadership, but I will get the chance to learn from some of the best softball players in the world. This is a tremendous honor to be on the same field as so many great players and I am looking forward to it.”

The Pride kicks off its NPF season on June 9 with the Chicago Bandits with the June 12 game on ESPN 2. The full schedule ends with the league playoffs at the end of August. Home games are played at the UCF Softball Complex or the ESPN Wide World of Sports.

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Diamond Sports Signs Tennessee Diamonds Catcher Megan Willis

Fastpitch.US — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:46:31 +0000

April 20, 2010, Cypress, CA – Megan Willis signed a 3-year professional athlete contract with Diamond Sports on March 22, 2010 that extends through 2012. Willis will be playing for the National Pro Fastpitch Tennessee Diamonds this summer in Knoxville, TN.

This will be Willis’ third year in the NPF. She was the starting catcher for the 2009 NPF Champions Rockford Thunder last season as well as the Chicago Bandits in 2007. Willis will be the starting catcher for the Tennessee Diamonds this season handling her fellow University of Texas and Rockford Thunder teammate Cat Osterman behind the plate.

“I am very excited to be a part of the Diamond family. They are very passionate about their products and are constantly looking for ways to make the best product out there,” said Willis about her new relationship. “Being involved with the NPF, college softball and youth softball, I feel that Diamond and I can make a major impact on the youth girls out there playing. Our commitment will be to push fastpitch softball to even further heights.”

During her University of Texas playing career, Willis was a four-year starter behind the plate and twice earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year accolades (2006-07). She led the Horns to a Big 12 Conference title in 2006 and a Big 12 Tournament championship in 2005. Willis is a strong-armed catcher, posting school records for fielding percentage (.994), putouts (2028) and gunned down 59 would-be base stealers in her career. Willis graduated from Texas in 2007 with a degree in corporate communications.

In Willis’ off-season time, she is currently a volunteer assistant for the University of Texas. Willis works with Texas’ team defense and specifically as a mentor to the Longhorn’s catchers.

“Megan Willis is now the face of Diamond Sports Fastpitch. She represents all the on-field tools that we as a company strive for; power, strength, agility, balance, leader and teammate,” Chris Coffing, Sr. VP of Diamond Sports said about Willis. “Her accomplishments speak volumes about her and her drive to be the best catcher on the field is why we are very pleased to have her on our Diamond team.”

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Pro Women’s Softball Teams to Tour U.S.

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:58:39 +0000

Sparks, MD – Maryland-based firm API Sports Management & Marketing, parent company of All-ProFastpitch, LLC, has partnered with Atlanta-based Dynasty Media and Entertainment, LLC, to create All-ProDynasty Fastpitch, LLC, an entity that has established two women’s professional softball teams that willtour the United States in 2010.

The U.S. Professional All-Stars and the Dynasty 6 teams will begin touring the country in June, participating in weekend fastpitch festivals in locations such as Atlanta; Baltimore-Washington; New York; Worcester, MA; Norfolk, VA; and Oklahoma City. Dates and times of each event – along with addition allocations – will be announced shortly.

The goal of All-Pro Dynasty Fastpitch is to open doors for the millions of young girls playing the sport to interact with female professional role models, learn from athletes who have reached the sport’s highest level and see that they can pursue fastpitch into college and beyond. In turn, the hope is to expose the sport and its athletes to new demographics and markets around the country and help the hard-working pro-level fastpitch athletes be able to truly make a living doing what they love while at the same time giving back to the sport.

The U.S. Professional All-Stars is a team comprised of current and former U.S. National Team players, U.S.Futures Team players, former college All-Americans and national champions. That team will compete during the festival weekends against top women’s teams from around the country, international teams, teams of college all-stars and possibly in fall tournaments against college teams. Some players who have committed to play for the All-Stars include 2008 College Player of the Year Angela Tincher, U.S. National Team members Katie Cochran and Ashley Charters and U.S. Futures Team member Jenae’ Leles.

Players will be active and accessible in each community that will host events, making media appearances,promoting the event and the sport at local restaurants and events, speaking to school children and members of youth organizations and attending youth softball games and practices. Camps and clinics willbe held in each market leading up to and during the event, and the athletes will be available throughoutthe weekend for autographs, photos and question and answer opportunities.

In addition, on Friday in most locations youth fastpitch athletes ages 14 and up will be able to attend a “Workout with the Pros,” which will provide them with an opportunity to train alongside the All-Stars and see exactly what kind of commitment it takes to play at the highest level. This day will include position-specific training, sessions covering off-field training (strength and conditioning), question and answersessions and a player/coach/parent seminar covering the college recruiting process, what it takes to be seen by college coaches, what college coaches look for in players, the commitment necessary to play at the highest level, balancing softball with academic and social activities and the expectations placed on elite athletes.

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NPF Softball Series Coming To The Dell Diamond

Fastpitch.US — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:17:21 +0000

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Ryan Sanders Showdown National Pro Fastpitch Softball Series will be held Aug. 12-15 at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. Hosted by Ryan Sanders Baseball, the series features two professional teams: the Chicago Bandits and the USSSA Florida Pride.

The teams will play five games in the four-day period with single games at 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, Aug. 12, and Friday, Aug. 13, a doubleheader at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, and a single game at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15.

Reserved tickets are $10 per game with general admission tickets for $5 per game. Express full-season and Friday Fireworks ticket holders have first opportunity to purchase their seats for the event April 20-30. Tickets go on sale to the general public May 1. Regular Express discounts apply for seniors, military and kids. Groups of 20 or more also receive a discounted rate.

Several high-profile players will participate in the event, including Kelly Kretschman (2004 Olympic gold medalist; 2008 Olympic silver medalist), Monica Abbott (2008 Olympic silver medalist), Caitlin Lowe (2008 Olympic silver medalist), Jessica Mendoz (2000, 2004 Olympic gold medalist; 2008 Olympic silver medalist), Lauren Lappin (2008 Olympic silver medalist), Natasha Watley (2000, 2004 Olympic gold medalist; 2008 Olympic silver medalist) and Jennie Finch (2000, 2004 Olympic gold medalist; 2008 Olympic silver medalist).

Kretschman, Abbott, Lowe, Mendoza, Lappin and Watley all play for the USSSA Pride, while Finch plays for the Chicago Bandits. Abbott, Lowe, Mendoza, Lappin, Watley and Finch are current Team USA members. Katie Burkhart, a member of the USSSA Florida Pride, led Arizona State to victory in the 2008 Women’s College World Series and was named the event’s most valuable player.

Part of the proceeds from the event will go to support local softball groups, teams and leagues. There also will be a “Home Runs for Hunger” charity effort to support the Capital Area Food Bank. Fans will be able to donate two canned goods items for $2 off any ticket to the series. Rudy’s and Mighty Fine will have a home run hitting contest with their employees following the Sunday game; money and food items will be collected during that event for donation.

Ryan Sanders Baseball and members of the Chicago Bandits will host softball clinics in conjunction with the event. Clinics run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 12-14 and are for children ages 6 and up. Cost for the four-day clinic is $155; clinic participants also receive a T-shirt, a camp photo and a voucher for a free reserved ticket to each game. More information on the clinics will be made available on www.RoundRockExpress.com.

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Two Olympic Veterans And One Free-Agent Pickup Officially Signed By Bandits

Fastpitch.US — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:35:44 +0000

ELGIN – Chicago Bandits GM Aaron Moore announced the resigning of two Bandits veterans to the Chicago roster today, and the finalization of a returning free-agent.

Bandits’ outfielders Vicky Galindo and Caitlin Lever finalized their contracts to return for the 2010 season. The duo both spent time with Chicago and their respective National Teams in 2009. For Galindo, it was Team USA and Lever called Team Canada home for parts of the season in 2009. Both will again spend time with their respective National teams this year.
In 2009, Galindo batted .243 with one RBI, nine hits and four runs scored, but saw limited time at the plate, only getting 37 opportunities. For Lever, it was a slightly brighter picture at the plate. She batted .333 with one homerun, nine RBIs, 12 hits and five runs in her 36 appearances.

Pitcher Jessica Sallinger has officially finalized her contract with the Bandits. Sallinger was previously drafted by and pitched for the Bandits from 2006-2008, then spent 2009 with the now defunct Philadelphia Force.

“I am very excited to be coming back to the Chicago Bandits,” said Sallinger. “This is where my professional career began and where I won a National Championship. I feel like I am coming back home and I am looking forward to another great year and hopefully another championship as a Bandit!”

In 2008, Sallinger was a workhorse for the Bandits, starting 18 games in the circle, while going 12-6 as a starter and also contributing three saves, one of which came in the Championship Series against the Washington Glory. Sallinger also struck out 107 batters in 120 innings of work, leading the Bandits to the 2008 Cowles Cup trophy.

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NPF Holds 2010 Senior Draft Live Presented by Miken

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:29:44 +0000

KISSIMMEE, FL – National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and its four-affiliate teams held the 2010 NPF Senior Draft Presented by Miken on Wednesday night which was broadcast for the first time in league history on MLB.COM, live from the Hermitage Key Resort. This was the second consecutive year the NPF has broadcast the Draft live but the first time on MLB.com.

Each team had at least three selections in the five-round draft. The USSSA Pride held seven of the 20 overall picks due to a draft-day trade in 2009.

With the first pick in the draft the USSSA Pride selected University of Alabama’s Charlotte Morgan. Charlotte Morgan has been a key impact Player for Alabama’s Offense. She became the first Player in Alabama history with three 50 or more RBI seasons.

The Tennessee Diamonds selected Molly Johnson of the University of Kentucky with the No. 2 pick in the draft. While USSSA Pride chose Melissa Roth of Louisville at No. 3 and Chicago picked Michigan pitcher Nicki Nemitz with the final pick of the first round.

USSSA Pride made the first selection of the second round and the fifth pick overall by choosing University of Oklahoma 1B/OF Amber Flores. The Diamonds selected Becca Heteniak of Depaul as the No. 6 pick of the Draft. The Racers make their first pick of the Draft at No. 7 and chose Ohio State catcher Sam Marder. Chicago added Louisiana Tech shortstop Amberly Waits with the No. 8 pick to close out the second round.

Again the Pride led off the third round (No. 9 overall) by choosing Florida outfielder Francesca Enea. Tennessee Diamonds added another Texas Longhorn to their roster alongside of Cat Osterman and Megan Willis, Loryn Johnson as the No. 10 pick. For Akron Racer’s second pick of the night they have added UCLA Pitcher/1B Megan Lagenfeld as the No. 11 pick. With those final pick of the third round, the Chicago Bandits chose from the University of Oregon, Neena Bryant.

Pride continued a strong 2010 NPF Senior Draft by adding Stanford excellent-hitting outfielder Alissa Haber as their final pick of the 2010 College Senior Draft. Haber is one of four PAC-10 Players who were chosen in the Draft. The fourth round continued with the Tennessee Diamonds taking Carly Wynn of Florida State University (No. 14). The Chicago Bandits had the No. 15 and No. 16 Pick overall to round out the fourth round. With those selections, Chicago added Rachel Mitchell (No. 15) from LSU and lefty slapper Christine Knauer (No. 16).

After USSSA Florida Pride has led in every round, they have traded a Draft pick to the Akron Racers to lead off the fifth and final round. The Racers selected Liane Horiuchi a shortstop from Purdue. Tennessee took Kristen Wadwell of the Louisville and the Australian National Team (No. 18) for their final pick. At No. 19 pick overall, the Akron Racers pick Kaila Shull Catcher from UCLA. The final pick of the 2010 NPF College Senior Draft Presented by Miken went the Chicago Bandits in choosing, the University of Michigan Angela Findlay.

“It’s always exciting to see College’s top Players come to the next level and play professional fastpitch. I would like to congratulate all 20 women,” says Commissioner Cheri Kempf.

The SEC and PAC-10 conferences led the way for the second consecutive year in this season’s draft with five and four picks, respectively. UCLA, Michigan, and Louisville each had two players taken from the draft.

Re-broadcast information can be found at www.profastpitch.com.

Due to NCAA regulations, an active college senior-athlete is not eligible to sign with her respective franchise until her 2010 season is completed.

Major League Baseball is the Official Development Partner of National Pro Fastpitch in the category of women’s professional fastpitch softball. The partnership, which began the fall of 2002, is part of The Commissioner’s Initiative on Women and Baseball, a league-wide effort to help Major League Baseball and the 30 Major League Clubs build stronger relationships with female audiences.

2010 NPF Senior Draft Results

Round 1
1 (1) – USSSA Pride – Charlotte Morgan, Utility, Alabama
2 (2) – Tennessee Diamonds – Molly Johnson, Utility, Kentucky
3 (3) – USSSA Pride – Melissa Roth, Catcher, Lousiville
4 (4) – Chicago Bandits – Nikki Nemetz, Pitcher, Michigan

Round 2
1 (5) – USSSA Pride – Amber Flores, Utility, Oklahoma
2 (6) – Tennessee Diamonds – Becca Heteniak, Pitcher, Depaul
3 (7) – Akron Racers – Sam Marder, Catcher, Ohio State
4 (8) – Chicago Bandits – Amberly Waits, Shortstop, Louisiana Tech

Round 3
1 (9) – USSSA Pride – Francesca Enea, Outfield, Florida
2 (10) – Tennessee Diamonds – Loryn Johnson, Infielder, Texas
3 (11) – Akron Racers – Megan Lagenfeld, Pitcher/1B, UCLA
4 (12) – Chicago Bandits – Neena Bryant, Outfielder, Oregon

Round 4
1 (13) – USSSA Pride – Alissa Haber, Outfielder, Stanford
2 (14) – Tennessee Diamonds – Carly Wynn, Outfielder, FSU
3 (15) – Chicago Bandits – Rachel Mitchell, Outfielder, LSU
4 (16) – Chicago Bandtis – Christine Knauer, Shortstop, UNC

Round 5
1 (17) – Akron Racers – Liane Horiuchi, Shortstop, Purdue
2 (18) – Tennessee Diamonds – Kristen Wadwell, Pitcher, Louisville
3 (19) – Akron Racers – Kaila Shull, Catcher, UCLA
4 (20) – Chicago Bandits – Angela Findlay, Outfielder, Michigan

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Monica Abbott Inks Multi-Year Endorsement Deal With Worth

Fastpitch.US — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:56:25 +0000

ST. LOUIS — Worth Sports has signed Olympic Medalist and pitcher for the NPF’s Florida Pride, Monica Abbott, to a multi-year endorsement contract. Abbott will be endorsing the new Worth 5-Tool product line of training equipment and designing two Monica Abbott signature fielders gloves.

“Monica is acknowledged as one of the greatest pitchers in the fastpitch game,” said Mike Thompson, Senior VP of Marketing at Worth. “Her unparalleled athletic accomplishments are clearly exemplified by her statistical records. Worth is committed to being the best at every level of fastpitch softball. Monica will play a critical role in the development of Worth products for youth and amateur players right up to the highest level of professional players.”

Abbott was one of the key members of the USA Women’s National Team in its run to the Silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Before turning professional as a current member of the National Pro Fastpitch’s Florida Pride, Abbott was a collegiate standout at the University of Tennessee.

Abbott was the 2007 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and holds NCAA Division I records in: career victory record (189), career shutout record (112), strikeouts (2,440), appearances (253), and single-season strikeouts (724).

“I am thrilled to be working with the Worth team to endorse the Worth 5-Tool Training line and new Monica Abbott signature fielders gloves,” Abbott said. “I have worn a Worth glove since I was a freshman at Tennessee, so I am excited to have my own signature series to wear this year.”

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USSSA Announced The Signing Of Natasha Watley

Fastpitch.US — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:46:25 +0000

Kissimmee, Fla. – The USSSA Florida Pride, a member of the Women’s National Professional Fastpitch League (NPF), announced today that they have signed former Olympic Gold (2004) and Silver (2008) medalist Natasha Watley as a new addition to the Pride’s 2010 roster.

She will be joining fellow Team USA members Jessica Mendoza and Lauren Lappin, also recent signees to the Pride for the 2010 season. The three are welcome additions to a team which already features former Olympians and Team USA members Monica Abbott, Kelly Kretschman, and Caitlin Lowe, as well as recently signed Katie Burkhart, formerly of Arizona State University and the NPF’s Philadelphia Force.

During the 2004 Olympics, Watley assisted the USA Softball Team to their third consecutive gold medal in Athens by breaking the Olympic record for stolen bases and was third on the team with a .400 batting average, with 9 hits and 10 RBI. During the 2008 Olympics, Watley brought home a silver medal after hitting .321 in the leadoff position with two home runs and six RBI. Internationally, Watley is a two-time Pan-American Gold Medalist (2003 & 2007), two time World Champion (2002 & 2006), and three time World Cup Champion (2006, 2007, & 2009).

Watley is a current member of Team Toyota in the Japan Softball League, continuing an international career she began in 2009. Watley joins the USSSA Pride as a continuation of her NPF career. She was a member of the Philadelphia Force during the 2006 season and prior to that was a member of the New York/New Jersey Juggernaut in 2005.

“I’m so excited to be continuing my professional career with the USSSA Pride,” said Watley. “I’m looking forward to an exciting season and the chance to compete with and against some talented athletes”

Not only is Watley a committed and talented athlete, she has taken her success and translated it into an opportunity to help others in her community through the development of the Natasha Watley Foundation. Established to create opportunities for girls in
underserved communities to learn and play the game of softball, the NWF uses the medium of sport to inspire young women to reach their full potential while fostering character development and awareness of social issues that affect women. The NWF focuses on several key concepts including confidence development, women’s health, social issues, and what the foundation refers to as the “4 Points of the Diamond,” core values as defined by the NWF of discipline, dedication, dignity, and duty.

“It has been a blessing starting my non-profit,” said Watley. “Now I have the platform to share my experiences as well as provide opportunities to young women who may not have the resources”

The Pride’s 2010 season will kick off June 9th in Lubbock, Tex. when the team faces the Chicago Bandits at the stadium of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The opening game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. local time. For more information on the Pride, visit www.usssapride.com.

USSSA is headquartered in Kissimmee, Fla. Offering over 13 primary sports programs, including baseball, slow pitch and fastpitch softball and basketball, USSSA has over 3.7 million participants nationwide and is recognized as the nation’s largest multi-sport athletic association.
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The League, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).

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Bandits Trim Roster Ahead Of NPF Draft

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:35:29 +0000

ELGIN, Ill. – Chicago Bandits GM Aaron Moore announced today that the Bandits have released the following players to free-agency: catcher Jamie Schloredt, outfielders Izmena Cabrera and Cheyenne Jenks, shortstop Aileen Morales, pitcher Gina Oaks and pitcher Brandice Balschmiter.

In 2009, Jenks batted 3-for-13 (.231) with a double and two runs scored. She made the team by way of the open tryout in early May. Jenks recently signed on to play softball professionally in Europe during the 2010 season.

Outfielder Izmena Cabrera and catcher Jamie Schloredt both joined the Bandits in 2009 as rookies out of Sacramento State University. Cabrera quickly made an impact off the bench as a clutch hitter in the early parts of the season. In 2009 she batted 6-for-24 (.250) with three RBIs and one stolen base. Schloredt filled in nicely behind the plate, splitting time at the catcher position with Rachel Folden. Schloredt finished 2009 with 15 hits in 61 at-bats for eight RBIs, eight runs and five homeruns. One homerun came early in the season in the form of a game winner off USSSA Pride pitcher Monica Abbott.

Aileen “Boom Boom” Morales split time with the Bandits and team Puerto Rico last year as a member of their National Team. Morales finished the 2009 season with the Bandits by recording a .200 batting average while going 6-for-30 at the plate. She contributed nine runs, five RBIs, one double and one triple.

Pitcher Gina Oaks game back to the Bandits midway through the season last year, filling a void in the rotation left by Team USA pitchers. Oaks saw 4.1 innings of work in the circle for the Bandits and struck out one batter.

Brandice Balschmiter was drafted to the Bandits in 2009 and went 2-0 with 1 save in the circle.. Balschmiter saw 35.1 innings of work and finished with a 2.79 ERA. She was recently selected to the USA Women’s National Team.

Outfielder Laura Harms has also been removed from the roster, as she retired following the end of the 2009 NPF season. Harms played for the Bandits from day one of the franchise’s inception, and she crossed the plate in June of 2005, scoring the first ever run in Bandits history. Harms finished 2009 with a .178 batting average, going 8-for-45 at the plate. Harms scored seven runs last season as well.

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2010 NPF College Senior Draft Presented by MIKEN

Fastpitch.US — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:11:00 +0000

NASHVILLE – National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and its four-affiliate teams will hold the 2010 NPF Senior Draft on Wednesday February 10, 2010 at 8PM EST. The broadcast will be live from the Heritage Key Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. This will be the second consecutive year the NPF will broadcast the Draft live but the first time on MLB.com.

“The College Senior Draft is a much anticipated event for the entire League. We are always looking forward to the next talented group of outstanding athletes who will undoubtedly contribute positively the future of the NPF,” stated NPF Commissioner Cheri Kempf.

The 2009 Draftees made a huge impact during the NPF Season. Those players included Kaitlin Cochran (Akron) and NPF Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year Tammy Williams (Chicago).

Each team has at least three selections in the five-round draft. The USSSA Pride, the host of the 2010 Draft, will hold six of the 20 overall picks due to a 2009 draft-day trade with the Akron Racers. The order of the Draft is as follows:

First Round:
1 1. USSSA Pride
2. Tennessee Diamonds
3. USSSA Pride from Akron Racers – 2009 trade
4. Chicago Bandits

Second Round:
5. USSSA Pride
6. Tennessee Diamonds
7. Akron Racers
8. Chicago Bandits

Third Round:
9. USSSA Pride
10. Tennessee Diamonds
11. Akron Racers
12. Chicago Bandits

Fourth Round:
13. USSSA Pride
14. Tennessee Diamonds
15. USSSA Pride from Akron Racers – 2009 Trade
16. Chicago Bandits

Fifth Round:
17. USSSA Pride
18. Tennessee Diamonds
19. Akron Racers
20. Chicago Bandits

Visit www.profastpitch.com on February 10th for the LIVE link to watch the DRAFT!

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Bandits Release Fox

Fastpitch.US — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:08:09 +0000

ELGIN – The Chicago Bandits have released infielder Kristie Fox, team General Manager Aaron M. Moore announced today.

Fox, 24, played three seasons with the Bandits after completing her college career at the University of Arizona. Fox finished the 2009 season with a .231 batting average, collecting 24 hits in 104 at-bats. She struck out just five times on the season. During her three seasons in Chicago, Fox was a .265 hitter, collecting 78 hits and seven home runs.

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