2012 National Pro Fastpitch season

2012 NPF Season blue white National Pro Fastpitch softball June 7, 2012 – August 19, 2012 4 2012 NPF Draft 2012 NPF Draft Brittany Mack LSU USSSA Pride Regular Season USSSA Pride Ringor Cup Cowles Cup No champion named NPF Seasons NPF 2011 2013 The 2012 National Pro Fastpitch season was the ninth 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). The 2012 season is especially notable because due to weather and scheduling issues, the NPF Championship Series was not completed and no Cowles Cup champion was named. Milestones and events NPF announced the Carolina Diamonds as a new team for the 2012 season, owned by Amelia Nemeth and husband Alan Demaske. Carolina replaced the NPF Diamonds, a travelling team operated by NPF. The team was headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and played its home games in various venues throughout the Carolinas.NPF Announces New Franchise http://www.profastpitch.com/news/index.html?article_id=1719 www.profastpitch.com 30 April 2015 24 January 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120206093439/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/index.html?article_id=1719 6 February 2012 usurped Teams, cities and stadiums TeamCityStadium Akron Racers Akron, Ohio Firestone Stadium Carolina Diamonds Charlotte, North Carolina Various Chicago Bandits Rosemont, Illinois (Chicago Area) Ballpark at Rosemont USSSA Pride Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County Stadium and Champion Stadium USA 350 none National Pro Fastpitch Teams National Pro Fastpitch teams USA 41.073056 -81.517778 Red pog.svg Akron left Akron Racers USA 41.990833 -87.873889 Orange pog.svg Chicago left Chicago Bandits USA 35.226944 -80.843333 Black pog.svg Diamonds right Carolina Diamonds USA 28.303889 -81.412778 Blue pog.svg USSSA Pride left USSSA Pride Player acquisition College draft 2012 NPF Draft The 2012 NPF College Draft was held in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee on March 7 at 5:00 CST.NPF Announces 2012 College Draft Date and Location http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1723 www.profastpitch.com 4 May 2015 31 January 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20150905085221/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1723 5 September 2015 usurped dmy-all USSSA Pride selected pitcher Brittany Mack of LSU as the first overall pick.NPF Holds 2012 Senior Draft Live Presented by MIKEN http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1730 www.profastpitch.com 4 May 2015 7 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20150905095852/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1730 5 September 2015 usurped dmy-all Notable transactions League standings Source:National Pro Fastpitch - Standings http://pointstreak.com/baseball/standings.html?leagueid=159&seasonid=12573 Pointstreak 30 April 2015 19 August 2012 TeamGPWLPct.GB USSSA Pride 43 31 12 .721 - Chicago Bandits 44 25 19 .568 6.5 Carolina Diamonds 43 17 26 .395 14 Akron Racers 44 14 30 .318 17.5 NPF Championship right With only four teams in the league, every team qualified for the postseason. Teams are seeded by the final standings. No. 1 seed USSSA Pride faced No. 4 seed Akron Racers in one best-of-three semifinal series, while the No. 2 seed Chicago Bandits faced the No. 3 seed Carolina Diamonds in another. The winners were scheduled to advance to the best-of-three championship series.Rayburn 8-23-2012 NPF Championship http://www.spysoftball.com/8-23-2012-npf-championship Spy Softball 1 May 2015 23 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073713/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-23-2012-npf-championship 4 March 2016 dead After winning their semifinal series, the Bandits and Pride played the first game of the championship series, with the Bandits winning 2-1.2012 NPF Championship Series Ends Early Due to Weather https://nfca.org/index.php/front-page-news/4925-2012-npf-championship-series-ends-early-due-to-weather National Fastpitch Coaches Association 1 May 2015 26 August 2012 On Sunday August 26, the start of game was delayed for hours due to rain. After one out in the first inning, the field was deemed unplayable, and the game was cancelled. No makeup game was scheduled and the series was ended without naming a champion. Conflicting comments were made regarding the possibility of finishing the series on Monday. Citing owners' costs and players' travel obligations, NPF commissioner Cheri Kempf said that "The Bandits had six players that could not change plans, including [starting pitcher] Monica Abbott going to Japan" and,"I can say that the championship wasn't complete, and it wasn't complete because Chicago stated it had six players that could not finish. So therefore, I don't feel like that the right thing to do is to award the championship on one game." However, Bandits owner Bill Sokolis said,"We could have put nine players on the field,".Graham Hays NPF season ends without champion https://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/story/_/id/8304833/national-pro-fastpitch-playoffs-season-ends-champion www.espnW.com 1 May 2015 26 August 2012 On her blog Monica Abbott wrote that no one asked her to change her flight to Japan, but that she "would have done so in a heartbeat."Monica Abbott 2012 NPF Championship Series – Cheri Kempf Quotes http://monicaabbott.com/monica-abbott-blog-2012-npf-championship-series-cheri-kempf-quotes/ MonicaAbbott.com 1 May 2015 28 August 2012 NPF announced that a committee would be formed to make recommendations to avoid unfinished championships in the future.NPF Commissioner Calls for Committee to Examine the League's Post-Season Policies http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1859 www.profastpitch.com 3 May 2015 28 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20150905085501/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1859 5 September 2015 usurped dmy-all NPF Semifinals (Best-of-3) NPF Championship (Best-of-3) 30px 160px 1 USSSA Pride 2 4 Akron Racers 1 2 Chicago Bandits 2 3 Carolina Diamonds 0 1 USSSA Pride 0 2 Chicago Bandits 1 2012 NPF SemifinalsChicago Bandits defeat Akron Racers 2-0 Game Date Score Series(CHI-CAR) Location 1 August 23 Chicago Bandits 11, Carolina Diamonds 1Rayburn 8-23-2012 NPF Semi-finals Thursday http://www.spysoftball.com/8-23-2012-npf-semi-finals-thursday https://archive.today/20150501115532/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-23-2012-npf-semi-finals-thursday dead 1 May 2015 Spy Softball 1 May 2015 23 August 2012 1-0 Rosemont, Illinois2 August 24 Chicago Bandits 5, Carolina Diamonds 1Rayburn 8-24-2012 NPF Semi-finals Friday http://www.spysoftball.com/8-24-2012-npf-semi-finals-friday Spy Softball 1 May 2015 24 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070938/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-24-2012-npf-semi-finals-friday 4 March 2016 dead1-0 Rosemont, Illinois 2012 NPF SemifinalsUSSSA Pride defeat Akron Racers 2–1 Game Date Score Series(USSA-AKR) Location 1 August 23 USSSA Pride 4, Akron Racers 1 1-0 Rosemont, Illinois2 August 24 USSSA Pride 7, Akron Racers 8 1-1 Rosemont, Illinois 3 August 25 USSSA Pride 9, Akron Racers 7Rayburn 8-25-2012 NPF Championship Saturday http://www.spysoftball.com/8-25-2012-npf-championship-saturday Spy Softball 1 May 2015 25 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075231/http://www.spysoftball.com/8-25-2012-npf-championship-saturday 4 March 2016 dead 2-1 Rosemont, Illinois 2012 NPF Championship SeriesIncomplete Game Date Score Series(CHI-USSSA) Location1 August 25 Chicago Bandits 2, USSSA Pride 1 1-0 Rosemont, Illinois Annual awards On August 22 NPF hosted a banquet in Rosemont, Illinois, at which the league's annual awards were announced and the All-NPF Team was named:2012 NPF Awards Banquet http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1862 www.profastpitch.com 3 May 2015 23 August 2012 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20150905085526/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=1862 5 September 2015 Ringor Cup (Best regular season record)USSSA Pride AwardPlayerTeamStatPlayer of the Year Award Caitlin LoweUSSSA Pride .440 Avg., 51 H, .496 OBP, .509 SLGPitcher of the Year Monica AbbottChicago Bandits 14-3, 125.2 IP, 4 SV, 190 K (all led NPF), 1.06 ERA(2nd in NPF), 2 no-hittersRookie of the Year Kristyn SandbergUSSSA Pride.355 average(4th in League), 33 RBI (1st), .504 OBP (2nd), .624 SLG (2nd)Defensive Player of the Year (tie)Amber PattonChicago Bandits 1 error, .991 Fielding PercentageKelley MontalvoAkron Racers 3 errors, .978 Fielding PercentageOffensive Player of the YearSam MarderAkron Racers.343 Avg., 36 H, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 24 BB. 5th or better in 7 different offensive categories.Home Run Award Megan WigginsChicago Bandits12 HRDiamond Spikes Award (tie)The Diamond Spikes Award is given to the player(s) with the most stolen bases Sharonda McDonaldAkron Racers13 SB for each player Amber PattonChicago BanditsCoaching Staff of the Year Carolina Diamonds -- Lisa Navas–Head Coach, Miranda Ervin–Assistant Coach, Lisa Dodd–Assistant CoachJennie Finch AwardThe Jennie Finch Award is awarded to the player who shows excellence in sportsmanship, leadership and humility both on and off the field. Natasha WatleyUSSSA Pride Award notes note 2012 All-NPF TeamPositionNameTeam PitcherCat OstermanUSSSA Pride Pitcher Monica AbbottChicago Bandits Pitcher Michelle GascoigneChicago Bandits Pitcher Andi WilliamsonChicago Bandits CatcherRachel FoldenCarolina Diamonds 1st Base GiOnna DiSalvatoreCarolina Diamonds 2nd BaseAshley ChartersUSSSA Pride 3rd BaseAmber PattonChicago Bandits ShortstopNatasha WatleyUSSSA Pride OutfieldMegan WigginsChicago Bandits OutfieldCaitlin LoweUSSSA Pride OutfieldSharonda McDonaldAkron Racers At-LargeSam MarderAkron Racers At-LargeVicky GalindoChicago Bandits At-LargeJessica MendozaUSSSA Pride At-LargeBianca MejiaCarolina Diamonds At-LargeKelly KretschmanUSSSA Pride At-LargeNicole PaulyAkron Racers See also Sports List of professional sports leagues List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada References External links National Pro Fastpitch Category:2012 in women's softball Category:2012 in American women's sports Category:Softball in the United States