2011 National Pro Fastpitch season explained

2011 NPF Season
Color:blue
Color Text:white
League:National Pro Fastpitch
Sport:softball
Duration:June 9, 2011 – August 14, 2011
No Of Teams:4
Tv:ESPN
Draft:2011 NPF Draft
Draft Link:2011 NPF Draft
Top Pick:Kelsi Dunne P
Alabama
Picked By:NPF Diamonds
Season:Regular Season
Season Champs:USSSA Pride
Season Champ Name:Ringor Cup
(Best record)
Finals:Cowles Cup
Finals Champ:Chicago Bandits
Finals Runner-Up:USSSA Pride
Finals Mvp:Monica Abbott
Chicago Bandits
Seasonslist:NPF Seasons
Seasonslistnames:NPF
Prevseason Year:2010
Nextseason Year:2012

The 2011 National Pro Fastpitch season was the eighth 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.

Teams, cities and stadiums

TeamCityStadium
Akron RacersAkron, OhioFirestone Stadium
Chicago BanditsRosemont, Illinois (Chicago Area)Ballpark at Rosemont
NPF DiamondsNashville, TennesseeVarious
USSSA Florida PrideKissimmee, Florida

Milestones and events

The Tennessee Diamonds were rebranded as the NPF Diamonds for the 2011 season. The Diamonds were a "traveling team," playing each of their five 'home stands' at five different venues, from Calgary, Alberta to Lexington, North Carolina.[1]

Akron Racers named as their coach Jake Schumann, who was also with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball coach.[2]

NPF Diamonds signed Tim Kiernan as head coach. Kiernan had previously coached professional softball with WPSL's Virginia Roadsters in 1999, NPF Tour Teams in 2001 and 2003, and the Sacramento Sunbirds in 2004.[3]

The Chicago Bandits moved into their new stadium Ballpark at Rosemont. It is the first ballpark specifically built for a women's professional softball team, and its address, 27 Jennie Finch Way, pays tribute to one of their most famous players.[4]

Player acquisition

College draft

The 2011 NPF Senior Draft was held March 16, 2011, in Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The NPF Draft was broadcast on MLB.com.[5] NPF Diamonds selected pitcher Kelsi Dunne of Alabama as the first overall pick.[6]

Notable transactions

League standings

Source [7]

TeamGPWLPct.GB
USSSA Pride39309.769-
Akron Racers392217.5648
Chicago Bandits402020.50010.5
NPF Diamonds38632.15823.5

NPF Championship

The 2011 NPF Championship Series was held at McMurry Park in Sulphur, Louisiana August 18–21. All four teams qualify and were seeded based on the final standings. The first seed played the fourth seed on a best-of-three series, and the second seed played the third seed in another best-of-three series. The winners played each other in a best-of-three series that determined the champion.

The games were broadcast on ESPN2, with color analysis by former NPF player and two-time Olympian Jennie Finch and three-time Olympian Leah O'Brien-Amico. Bernie Guenther called the play-by-play.[8]

2011 NPF Semifinals
Chicago Bandits defeat Akron Racers 2-0
Game Date Score Series
Location
1August 18 Chicago Bandits 8, Akron Racers 1[9] 1-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 19 Chicago Bandits 7, Akron Racers 4[10] 2-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2011 NPF Semifinals
USSSA Pride defeat NPF Diamonds 2–0
Game Date Score Series
Location
1August 18 and 19USSSA Pride 8, NPF Diamonds 71-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 19USSSA Pride 7, NPF Diamonds 02-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2011 NPF Championship Series
Chicago Bandits defeat USSSA Pride 2-0
Game Date Score Series
Location
1August 20 Chicago Bandits 4, USSSA Pride 3, (8 innings)[11] 1-0Sulphur, Louisiana
2August 21 Chicago Bandits 10, USSSA Pride 3[12] 2-0Sulphur, Louisiana

Championship Game

TeamTop BatterStats.
Chicago BanditsNikki Nemitz2-4 3RBIs 2B
USSSA PrideNatasha Watley2-4 2RBIs
TeamPitcherIP H R ER BB SO
Chicago BanditsMonica Abbott (W)7.0 5 3 3 3 5
USSSA PrideJordan Taylor (L)0.1 3 5 4 1 0
USSSA PrideSarah Pauly2.2 4 3 3 1 0
USSSA PrideDanielle Lawrie3.0 0 2 0 0 0

Annual awards

Source:[15]

AwardPlayerTeam
Player of the Year Award Jessica MendozaUSSSA Pride
Pitcher of the Year (tie)Monica AbbottChicago Bandits
Cat OstermanUSSSA Pride
Rookie of the Year Alisa GolerChicago Bandits
Defensive Player of the YearBianca MejiaNPF Diamonds
Offensive Player of the YearNatasha WatleyUSSSA Pride
Home Run Award Alisa GolerChicago Bandits
Diamond Spike Award[16] Natasha WatleyUSSSA Pride
Coaching Staff of the Year USSSA Pride -- Tim Walton (HEAD COACH) and Beth Torina (ASSISTANT COACH)
Jennie Finch Award[17] Jessica MendozaUSSSA Pride

Award notes

2011 All-NPF Team
PositionNameTeam
PitcherMonica AbbottChicago Bandits
PitcherCat OstermanUSSSA Pride
Pitcher Kristina ThorsonAkron Racers
Pitcher Danielle LawrieUSSSA Pride
CatcherSamantha MarderAkron Racers
1st BaseNicole TrimboliAkron Racers
2nd BaseAshley ChartersUSSSA Pride
3rd BaseAndrea DuranUSSSA Pride
ShortstopNatasha WatleyUSSSA Pride
OutfieldMegan WigginsChicago Bandits
OutfieldJessica MendozaUSSSA Pride
OutfieldAlyssa HaberUSSSA Pride
At-LargeDanielle ZymkowitzChicago Bandits
At-LargeShannon DoepkingChicago Bandits
At-LargeBrittany McKinneyNPF Diamonds
At-LargeCharlotte MorganUSSSA Pride
At-LargeBianca MejiaNPF Diamonds

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Graham Hays. NPF Diamonds fall short but prove they belong. espnW,con. 5 May 2015. 20 August 2011.
  2. Web site: Islanders' Jake Schumann to coach in pro softball league during summer. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. 10 May 2015. 28 January 2011.
  3. Web site: NPF Veteran Kiernan Tabbed as Diamonds Head Coach. National Fastpitch Coaches Association. 10 May 2015. 7 March 2011.
  4. Web site: Brand New Ballpark For Bandits Women's Softball Team. CBS Chicago. 5 May 2015. 15 June 2011.
  5. Web site: NPF Holds 2011 Senior Draft Live Presented by MIKEN. www.profastpitch.com. 7 May 2015. 18 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20150905184612/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1528. 5 September 2015. usurped. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Two Alabama Softball Players Selected in NPF Draft. RollTide. 7 May 2015. 19 March 2011.
  7. Web site: Summer 2011 - Standings. pointstreak.com. 5 May 2015. 14 August 2011.
  8. Web site: National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series to Begin Tonight. MLB.com. 7 May 2015. 18 August 2011.
  9. Web site: Rayburn. 8-18-2011 NPF Championship Thursday. Spy Softball. 7 May 2015. 18 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120818135155/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-18-2011-npf-championship-thursday. 18 August 2012. dead.
  10. Web site: Rayburn. 8-19-2011 NPF Championship Friday. Spy Softball. 7 May 2015. 19 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044845/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-19-2011-npf-championship-friday. 4 March 2016. dead.
  11. Web site: Rayburn. 8-20-2011 NPF Championship Saturday. Spy Softball. 7 May 2015. 20 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120606002822/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-20-2011-npf-championship-saturday. 6 June 2012. dead.
  12. Web site: Rayburn. 8-21-2011 Chicago Wins NPF Championship. Spy Softball. 7 May 2015. 21 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064213/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-21-2011-chicago-wins-npf-championship. 4 March 2016. dead.
  13. Web site: Chicago Bandits win softball championship. Daily Herald. 7 May 2015. 21 August 2011.
  14. Web site: Monica Abbott Game Log 2011 Playoffs . Stats.805stats.com . 2020-07-01.
  15. Web site: NPF Announces Award Winners . www.profastpitch.com . 11 May 2015 . 19 August 2011 . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154840/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1673 . 5 September 2015 .
  16. The Diamond Spike Award is given to the player with the most stolen bases
  17. 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.