2018 National Pro Fastpitch season

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.

2018 NPF Season
League	National Pro Fastpitch
Sport	softball
Number of teams	5
2018 NPF Draft
Top draft pick	Paige Lowary P Oklahoma
Picked by	Chicago Bandits
Regular Season
Season champions	USSSA Pride
Player of the Year	Brenna Moss
Offensive Player of the Year	Brenna Moss
Pitcher of the Year	Jolene Henderson
Gold Glove Award	Jade Rhodes
Cowles Cup
Champions	USSSA Pride
Runners-up	Chicago Bandits

Milestones and events

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

Teams, cities and stadiums

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

College draft

Further information: 2018 NPF Draft

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

Notable transactions

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

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

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

Game log

Date	Time	Visitor	Home	Venue	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Player of the Game	Attendance

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

NPF Championship

	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

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

Players of the Week

Annual awards

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

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

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

• Sports portal

• List of professional sports leagues
• List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada