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2018 National Pro Fastpitch season

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2018 NPF Season
LeagueNational Pro Fastpitch
Sportsoftball
Number of teams5
2018 NPF Draft
Top draft pickPaige Lowary P
Oklahoma
Picked byChicago Bandits
Regular Season
Season championsUSSSA Pride
Player of the YearBrenna Moss
Offensive Player of the YearBrenna Moss
Pitcher of the YearJolene Henderson
Gold Glove AwardJade Rhodes
Cowles Cup
ChampionsUSSSA Pride
  Runners-upChicago Bandits
NPF seasons
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 15th season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's softball league in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, NPF operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.

Milestones and events

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On October 12, 2017, it was reported the Texas Charge would be dissolving, effective immediately.[1] The NPF did not make an announcement regarding the Charge, but all Charge players under contract were added to the league's transactions page as free agents.[2]

In an arrangement similar to the Beijing Eagles', NPF announced in December 2017 that Softball Australia would be operating a 2018 expansion team, the Aussie Spirit.[3]

On January 28, 2018, the Scrap Yard Dawgs announced via press release they would no longer be affiliated with the NPF. They indicated they would continue as an independent team.[4] On the same day, Ohio.com reported that the Akron Racers would be replaced by a Chinese team, similar to the Beijing Eagles.[5]

Rule changes

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Teams, cities and stadiums

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Team City Stadium Coaches
Aussie Spirit Travelling Team Head Coach: TBA
Assistants: TBA
Beijing Shougang Eagles Travelling Team Head Coach: Teresa Wilson
Assistants: Breanne Lewis, Thomas Hazelhurst
Chicago Bandits Rosemont, Illinois (Chicago Area) Ballpark at Rosemont Head Coach: Stacey Nuveman Deniz
Assistant: TBA
Cleveland Comets Travelling Team Head Coach: TBA
Assistants: TBA
USSSA Pride Viera, Florida Space Coast Stadium Head Coach: Lonni Alameda
Assistants: Travis Wilson, Craig Snider

Player acquisition

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College draft

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Further information: 2018 NPF Draft

The 2018 NPF College Draft will be the 13th annual collegiate draft for NPF.

Notable transactions

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Further information: 2018 NPF transactions
  • Head Coaching Changes
    • The Bandits announced that coach Sharonda McDonald would not be returning for the 2018 season.[6] On September 19, they announced that their new coach would be Olympian medalist and NCAA champion Stacey Nuveman Deniz.[7] Nuveman Deniz held the NCAA home run record of 90 from 2002 to 2015, when Lauren Chamberlain broke it. She played in the NPF for the Arizona Heat in 2005.

League standings

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Team GP W L Pct. GB
USSSA Pride 47 42 5 .894 -
Chicago Bandits 47 37 10 .787 5
Aussie Spirit 48 16 32 .333 26.5
Beijing Shougang Eagles 46 13 33 .283 28.5
Cleveland Comets 48 10 38 .208 32.5

Results table

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2018 NPF Records
Team Spirit Eagles Bandits Comets Pride
Aussie Spirit — 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Beijing Shougang Eagles 0-0 — 0-0 0-0 0-0
Chicago Bandits 0-0 0-0 — 0-0 0-0
Cleveland Comets 0-0 0-0 0-0 — 0-0
USSSA Florida Pride 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 —
Legend
  Protest/Halted Game
  Postponement
Bold Winning team

2018 Game log

May/June
Date Time Visitor Home Venue Score Win Loss Save Player of the Game Attendance
July
Date Time Visitor Home Venue Score Win Loss Save Player of the Game Attendance
August
Date Time Visitor Home Venue Score Win Loss Save Player of the Game Attendance

NPF Championship

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NPF Semifinals NPF Championship
      
1  
4  
 
 
2  
3  
2018 NPF Semifinals
Game Date Score Winning Pitcher Save Losing Pitcher Player of the Game Series
2018 NPF Semifinals
Game Date Score Winning Pitcher Save Losing Pitcher Player of the Game Series
2018 NPF Championship Series
Game Date Score Winning Pitcher Save Losing Pitcher Player of the Game Series

Championship Game

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Team Top Batter Stats.
USSSA Pride Chelsea Goodacre &

Hallie Wilson

1-1 RBI 2B
Chicago Bandits Brenna Moss 3-4
Team Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO
USSSA Pride Jessica Burroughs (W) 4.1 4 0 0 0 1
USSSA Pride Delanie Gourley 0.2 0 0 0 0 1
USSSA Pride Jolene Henderson 2.0 1 0 0 1 2
Chicago Bandits Aleshia Ocasio (L) 3.0 2 2 0 1 1
Chicago Bandits Rachele Fico 1.1 3 1 1 1 0
Chicago Bandits Ally Carda 0.1 1 1 0 0 1
Chicago Bandits Danielle O'Toole 1.0 0 0 0 1 1
Chicago Bandits Shelby Turnier 0.1 0 0 0 0 1
2018 NPF Championship Series MVP
Player Club Stats.
Shelby Pendley USSSA Pride .428 (3/7) 2RBIs HR 2BBs[8]

Statistical leaders

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Players of the Week

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Annual awards

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Award Player Team
Player of the Year Award Brenna Moss Chicago Bandits
Pitcher of the Year Jolene Henderson USSSA Pride
Gold Glove Presented by Rawlings Jade Rhodes Cleveland Comets
Offensive Player of the Year Brenna Moss Chicago Bandits
Rookie of the Year Jessie Scroggins Chicago Bandits
Stolen Bases Award[note 1] Brenna Moss Chicago Bandits
Home Run Award[note 2] Emily Carosone Chicago Bandits
Lauren Chamberlain USSSA Pride
Megan Wiggins USSSA Pride
Jennie Finch Award [note 3] Nadia Taylor Chicago Bandits
Regular Season Championship Cup[note 4] USSSA Florida Pride
Coaching Staff of the Year Mike Stith, Cody Dent, Andrea Duran USSSA Florida Pride
Umpire of the Year Bill Gomoluch

All-NPF Team

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2018 All-NPF Team
Position Name Team
Catcher Kristyn Sandberg Chicago Bandits
First base Jade Rhodes Cleveland Comets
Second base Emily Carosone Chicago Bandits
Third base Bianka Bell USSSA Pride
Shortstop Shelby Pendley USSSA Pride
Outfield Brenna Moss Chicago Bandits
Outfield Sammy Marshall Chicago Bandits
Outfield Megan Wiggins USSSA Pride
Designated player Lauren Chamberlain USSSA Pride
At Large Hallie Wilson USSSA Pride
At Large Jessie Scroggins Chicago Bandits
At Large Victoria Draper Beijing Shougang Eagles
At Large Nadia Taylor Chicago Bandits
At Large Sierra Romero USSSA Pride
Pitcher Jolene Henderson USSSA Pride
Pitcher Shelby Turnier Texas Charge
Pitcher Keilani Ricketts USSSA Pride
Pitcher Jessica Burroughs USSSA Pride

Notes

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  1. ^ The Stolen Bases Award is given to the player with the most stolen bases
  2. ^ The Home Run Award goes to the player(s) who hit the most home runs
  3. ^ The Jennie Finch award is given to the player who best exemplifies the character and qualities of its famous namesake, and who is considered to positively impact the game both on and off the field.
  4. ^ The Regular Season Championship Cup goes to the team with the best regular season record

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NPF'S TEXAS CHARGE DISSOLVED; WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN 2018 SEASON". Justin's World of Softball. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2018.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "TRANSACTIONS". ProFastpitch,com. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "National Pro Fastpitch Adds Aussie Spirit in 2018". ProFastpitch.com. 28 December 2017. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ Chez Sievers (28 January 2018). "Scrap Yard Dawgs Announce They Are Leaving NPF". FloSoftball.com. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  5. ^ Michael Beaven (28 January 2018). "Professional softball: Future of Akron Racers in doubt, no pro games to be played at Firestone Stadium in 2018". Ohio.com. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  6. ^ "BANDITS TO FIND NEW HEAD COACH FOR 2018". ChicagoBandits,com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Bandits Name Stacey Nuveman-Deniz as Head Coach". Justin's World of Softball. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Shelby Pendley Game Log 2018 Championships". Stats.805stats.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-02. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
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