The 2014 National Pro Fastpitch season was the 11th 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. Play began on May 30 in Salisbury, Maryland, between the Pennsylvania Rebellion and the USSSA Pride.
Milestones and events The NY/NJ Comets did not play in 2014, and their roster and draft positions were inherited by an expansion team, Pennsylvania Rebellion. The Rebellion played home games in Washington, Pennsylvania in Consol Energy Park.
NPF reached a deal with CBS Sports Network to broadcast selected regular season games and selected postseason games for the 2014 season.
Rule changes At its owners' meetings, NPF announced a number of changes in policies and game rules:
Game rules: Voted to keep the International Tie Breaker during regular season play. The tie breaker will continue to be implemented in the top of the 10th inning. This effectively reverses a change announced in 2013. Voted to reject a "Run Rule" that would end the game after 5 innings (4 1/2 if home team was ahead) if a team led by 12 or more runs Voted to implement a "90 second" clock between innings. After the clock expires, umpires will assign a ball on the batter for "delay of game". Voted to revise the number of defensive conferences from one per inning to three per game. In extra innings, teams will be given one additional conference per inning. Violation will result in ejection of the head coach. Committee voted to eliminate a former revision, and essentially gives the pitcher 25 seconds to get in place on the rubber, take the sign and deliver the pitch.
Policies and procedures: Voted to eliminate the Disabled List Voted to increase the maximum roster limit from 20 to 23 (Salary cap did not increase) Voted to increase the minimum roster limit from 14 to 18. Voted for a 45-minute autograph session following all games except double headers. The session is mandatory for all players. Voted for a ticket policy that would allow fifty complementary tickets total (between both teams) per game. The Home Team will be given first choice with a 2 ticket per player allowance with the remaining tickets (if any) offered to the Visiting Team. It is at the discretion of the Home Team whether to make discounted tickets available to Visiting Team Players. Voted for a new payment structure for umpires in the event a game is split in its completion either due to weather or other reason. Voted to re-structure of the umpire assignment and evaluation system for the league. Voted for a contract with the company "Game Changer" to carry the complete stats of the NPF
Post season: Voted to require a minimum number of innings, plate appearances, or total games played, to be considered for post season award nominations and voting. Those minimums are: Defensive player nominees must have played a minimum of 75% of the total innings possible, at the position they are being nominated for. Utility will require the player to have played in 75% of total innings possible, but with no stipulation on position. Offensive player nominees must have 75% of total plate appearances possible based on their team statistics. There are no minimum criteria for the nominations of pitchers into any category that would pertain to the position of pitching. Voted to change the Championship Series format back to that used from 2010–2012. The top 4 league teams, according to regular season finish, advance to the Championship Series. Those 4 teams play three series of "best-of-three" match-ups. The #1 seed will play the #4 seed in a best-of-three series and the #2 seed will play the #3 seed in a best-of-three series, with both winners advancing to the Final Series. Those two winners will then compete in a best-of-three series to determine the Cowles Cup Champion. This format will add one day to the competition from the 2013 structure.
Teams, cities and stadiums TeamCityStadium Akron Racers Akron, Ohio Firestone Stadium Chicago Bandits Rosemont, Illinois (Chicago Area) Ballpark at Rosemont Pennsylvania Rebellion Washington, Pennsylvania Consol Energy Park USSSA Florida Pride Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County Stadium and Champion Stadium
Player acquisition
College draft
The 2014 NPF College Draft was held on March 31 in Nashville, Tennessee at 8:00 pm EST at the Ford Theatre located inside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Pitcher Dallas Escobedo of Arizona State was selected first by Pennsylvania Rebellion.
Notable transactions
Standings TeamsWLPct.GB USSSA Pride33 15 .688— Chicago Bandits 30 18.6253 Akron Racers24 24.5009 Pennsylvania Rebellion9 39.18824
NPF Championship Series
The top four teams from the regular season qualify for the championship playoffs. The highest-seeded semifinal winner then hosted the championship final.
2014 NPF SemifinalsUSSSA Pride defeat Pennsylvania Rebellion 2–0 Game Date Score Series Location 1 August 20 USSSA Pride 6, Pennsylvania Rebellion 0 1–0 Hoover, Alabama 2 August 21 USSSA Pride 3, Pennsylvania Rebellion 2 2–0 Hoover, Alabama
2014 NPF SemifinalsAkron Racers defeat Chicago Bandits 2–1 Game Date Score Series Location 1 August 20 Akron Racers 2, Chicago Bandits 1 1–0 Hoover, Alabama 2 August 21 Chicago Bandits 4, Akron Racers 1 1–1 Hoover, Alabama 3 August 22 Akron Racers 1, Chicago Bandits 0 2–1 Hoover, Alabama
2014 NPF Championship SeriesUSSSA Pride defeat Akron Racers 2–0 Game Date Score Series Location 1 August 22 USSSA Pride 6, Akron Racers 0 1–0 Hoover, Alabama 2 August 23 USSSA Pride 8, Akron Racers 3 2–0 Hoover, Alabama
Championship Game
Team Top Batter Stats. USSSA Pride Kelly Kretschman 1-3 2RBIs Chicago Bandits Jessica Garcia 2-3 2RBIs HR
Team Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO USSSA Pride Keilani Ricketts 1.0 3 2 2 0 1 USSSA Pride Danielle Lawrie (W) 6.0 3 1 0 0 3 Akron Racers Lisa Norris (L) 5.0 6 7 6 1 3 Akron Racers Alison Owen 0.1 2 1 0 0 0 Akron Racers Hannah Campbell 1.2 0 0 0 0 0
2014 NPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubStats.Cat OstermanUSSSA Pride 2-0 20Ks 0.00 ERA SH 0.46 WHIP (4Hs+2BBs/13.0 IP)
League leaders Final totals
Batting leaders
Stat Player Total AVG Natasha Watley (USSSA) .403 HR Brittany Cervantes (CHI) 12 RBI Nerissa Myers (AKR) 43 R Emily Allard (CHI) 35 H Emily Allard (CHI) 57 SB Brejae Washington (USSSA) 17
Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Cat Osterman (USSSA) 16 L Dallas Escobedo (PA) Sarah Pauly (PA) 11 ERA Cat Osterman (USSSA) 0.56 K Cat Osterman (USSSA) 160 IP Rachele Fico (AKR) 106 SV Jordan Taylor (USSSA) 3
Annual awards AwardPlayerTeamStatPlayer of the Year Award Andrea DuranUSSSA Pride .362 batting average, 47 hits, 26 RBI, 7 doubles, one triple and two homeruns. Led the league in OBP (.478) and walks (27)Pitcher of the Year Cat OstermanUSSSA Pride led the league with 160 Ks and 0.560 ERA. Undefeated at 16 – 0 and threw a no-hitter on July 5, 2014.Rookie of the Year Madison ShipmanUSSSA Pride .344 BA, 28 RBI and 5 HR. Led the league in doubles.Defensive Player of the YearTammy WilliamsChicago BanditsOffensive Player of the Year Nerissa MyersAkron Racers50 H, 5 2B, 9 HR, 6 SB, .474 OBP. Lead the league in RBI (43), 2 out-RBI's (19), and slugging % (.599). Home Run Award Brittany CervantesChicago Bandits12 HRDiamond SpikeThe Diamond Spike Award is given to the player with the most stolen bases Brejae WashingtonUSSSA Pride 17 SBCoaching Staff of the Year Akron Racers -- Brian Levin (HEAD COACH) and Dustin Combs (ASSISTANT COACH)Jennie Finch AwardThe 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. Kelley MontalvoAkron Racers
2014 All-NPF TeamPositionNameTeam PitcherCat Osterman USSSA Pride Pitcher Monica Abbott Chicago Bandits Pitcher Rachele Fico Akron Racers Pitcher Michelle Gascoigne Chicago Bandits CatcherKristen ButlerChicago Bandits 1st Base Brittany Cervantes Chicago Bandits 2nd BaseLauren Lappin Pennsylvania Rebellion 3rd BaseAndrea Duran USSSA Pride ShortstopTammy WilliamsChicago Bandits Outfield Caitlin Lowe USSSA Pride Outfield Natasha Watley USSSA Pride Outfield(tie) Megan Wiggins Chicago Bandits Outfield(tie)Emily Allard Chicago Bandits At-LargeNerissa MyersAkron Racers At-LargeMadison ShipmanUSSSA Pride At-Large Sarah Pauly Pennsylvania Rebellion At-LargeKelley MontalvoAkron Racers At-LargeAshley ThomasAkron Racers At-LargeJill Barrett Akron Racers
NPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubRecordCat OstermanUSSSA Pride threw a complete-game shutout with 12 strikeouts in game 1. Her 3rd Championship MVP
See also
List of professional sports leagues List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
References
External links