2009 National Pro Fastpitch season

The 2009 National Pro Fastpitch season was the sixth season of professional softball under the name National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the only professional women's fastpitch 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.

2009 NPF Season
LeagueNational Pro Fastpitch
Sportsoftball
DurationJune 3, 2009 – August 16, 2009
Number of teams5
2009 NPF Draft
Top draft pickKaitlin Cochran
Arizona State
Picked byAkron Racers
Regular Season
Majestic Cup
(Best record)		Chicago Bandits
Cowles Cup
ChampionsRockford Thunder
  Runners-upUSSSA Pride
Finals MVPCat Osterman
Rockford Thunder

Teams, cities and stadiums
Team City Stadium
Akron Racers Akron, Ohio Firestone Stadium
Chicago Bandits Elgin, Illinois (Chicago Area) Judson University
Philadelphia Force Allentown, Pennsylvania ECTB Stadium
Rockford Thunder Roscoe, Illinois Thunder Park[1]
USSSA Florida Pride Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County High School Stadium[2]
National Pro Fastpitch teams

Milestones and events

In November 2008, the Rockford Thunder named as field manager James Sherwood, who replaced Javier Vela. Vela resigned after four seasons.[3]

Akron Racers named a new field manager, Barb Sherwood, who replaced Shonda Stanton.[4]

Before the 2009 season, Washington Glory ceased operations for financial reasons. Subsequently, NPF and United States Specialty Sports Association(USSSA) began a partnership, which resulted in the expansion team USSSA Pride inheriting the Glory's player contracts. The Pride named J.Y. Davis and Margaret Davis as coaches.[5]

Player acquisition

College draft
Further information: 2009 NPF Draft

The 2009 NPF Senior Draft was held February 10, 2009, at the Cambria Suites Akron-Canton Airport location.[6] Three-time First-Team All-American outfielder Kaitlin Cochran of Arizona State was selected first by the Akron Racers, after a draft-day trade.[7]

League standings

Source [8]

Team GP W L Pct. GB
Chicago Bandits 39 27 12 .692 -
Akron Racers 40 26 14 .650 1.5
Rockford Thunder 40 19 21 .475 8.5
USSSA Pride 40 16 24 .400 11.5
Philadelphia Force 39 11 28 .282 15

NPF Championship

The 2009 NPF Championship Series was held at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio August 19–23. The top four teams qualified 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.[9] Day one of play was rained out, forcing the four teams to play doubleheaders on day two, August 21.[10]

NPF Semifinals (Best-of-3) NPF Championship (Best-of-3)
      
1 Chicago Bandits 1
4 USSSA Pride 2
4 USSSA Pride 1
3 Rockford Thunder 2
2 Akron Racers 1
3 Rockford Thunder 2
2009 NPF Semifinals
USSSA Pride defeat Chicago Bandits 2-1
GameDateScoreSeries
(CHI-USSSA)		Location
1August 21Chicago Bandits 1, USSSA Pride 0[11]1-0Akron, Ohio
2August 21Chicago Bandits 1, USSSA Pride 2[12]1-1Akron, Ohio
3August 22Chicago Bandits 0, USSSA Pride 2[13]1-2Akron, Ohio
2009 NPF Semifinals
Rockford Thunder defeat Akron Racers 2-1
GameDateScoreSeries
(AKR-ROC)		Location
1August 21Akron Racers 1, Rockford Thunder 0[14]1-0Akron, Ohio
2August 21Akron Racers 1, Rockford Thunder 5[15]1-1Akron, Ohio
3August 22Akron Racers 2, Rockford Thunder 7[16]1-2Akron, Ohio
2009 NPF Championship Series
Rockford Thunder defeat USSSA Pride 2-1
GameDateScoreSeries
(ROC-USSSA)		Location
1August 22Rockford Thunder 0, USSSA Pride 4[17]0-1Akron, Ohio
2August 23Rockford Thunder 2, USSSA Pride 0[18]1-1Akron, Ohio
3August 23Rockford Thunder 2, USSSA Pride 0[19]2-1Akron, Ohio

Championship Game
Team Top Batter Stats.
Rockford Thunder Chelsea Spencer 1-2 RBI HR
USSSA Pride Oli Keohohou 1-2
Team Pitcher IPHRERBBSOABBF
Rockford Thunder Cat Osterman (W) 7.01001132223
USSSA Pride Sarah Pauly (L) 2.042211912
USSSA Pride Monica Abbott 4.0100041314
2009 NPF Championship Series MVP
Player Club Stats.
Cat Osterman Rockford Thunder 4-1 50Ks 0.22 ERA 2SHs 0.64 WHIP (12Hs+8BBs/31.0 IP)[20]

Annual awards

Source:[21]

Majestic Cup
(Best regular season record)
Chicago Bandits
Award Player Team
Player of the Year Award Crystl Bustos Akron Racers
Pitcher of the Year Eileen Canney Chicago Bandits
Rookie of the Year Tammy Williams Chicago Bandits
Defensive Player of the Year Tammy Williams Chicago Bandits
Offensive Player of the Year Crystl Bustos Akron Racers
Coaching Staff of the Year Akron Racers -- Barb Sherwood, Radara McHugh, Shawn Reis
2009 All-NPF Team
Position Name Team
PitcherCat OstermanRockford Thunder
PitcherEileen CanneyChicago Bandits
PitcherAngela TincherAkron Racers
PitcherLisa NorrisAkron Racers
CatcherRachel FoldenChicago Bandits
1st BaseSamantha FindlayChicago Bandits
2nd BaseKenora PoseyAkron Racers
3rd BaseJackie PasquerellaAkron Racers
ShortstopTammy WilliamsChicago Bandits
OutfieldLisa ModglinAkron Racers
OutfieldAmber PattonChicago Bandits
OutfieldAmanda WilliamsRockford Thunder
At-LargeCrystl BustosAkron Racers
At-LargeOli KeohohouUSSSA Pride
At-LargeChelsea SpencerRockford Thunder
At-LargeKelly KretschmanUSSSA Pride
At-LargeJenna RhodesRockford Thunder
At-LargeAmber JacksonUSSSA Pride

See also

References
  1. "ROCKFORD THUNDER". Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  2. "It's Official - Pride Has A Home!". USSSAPride.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  3. "Thunder New Coach". MyStateline.com. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  4. "Racers Hire New Manager". Akron Beacon Journal. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  5. "USSSA and NPF form Cooperative Partnership". ProFastpitch.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  6. "NPF Holds 2009 Senior Draft Live on Internet". profastpitch.com. 17 February 2009. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  7. "Kaitlin Cochran Taken As No. 1 Pick in 2009 NPF Draft". Sun Devil Athletics. 17 February 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  8. "2009". profastpitch.com. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  9. "CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD SET - WATCH LIVE!". profastpitch.com. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  10. "Day One of NPF Championship Series Rained Out". OurSportsCentral.com. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  11. "May's Walk-Off Double Lifts Bandits Past Pride, 1-0". profastpitch.com. 21 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  12. "Pride Victory Forces Game 3 vs Bandits". OurSportsCentral.com. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  13. "Abbott carries Pride into championship finals with 2-0 upset". OurSportsCentral.com. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  14. "Racers Top Thunder in 1-0 Thriller". profastpitch.com. 21 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  15. "Split keeps Thunder alive". Rockford Register Star. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  16. "Thunder Moves onto the Championship Series". profastpitch.com. 22 August 2009. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  17. "Pride Win Game 1 of the Championship Series". OurSportsCentral.com. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  18. "Osterman, Thunder Force Game 3 Against Pride". profastpitch.com. 23 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  19. "Thunder win first Cowles Cup". WREX. 23 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  20. "April 2009". Profastpich.com. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  21. "Bandits, Racers Sweep NPF Awards". OurSportsCentral.com. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
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