2005 National Pro Fastpitch season
{{Infobox sports season
| title = 2005 NPF Season
| color = blue
| color_text = white
| league = National Pro Fastpitch
| sport = softball
| logo =
| pixels =
| caption =
| duration = June 2, 2005 - August 21, 2005
| no_of_games =
| no_of_matches =
| no_of_teams = 6
| attendance =
| TV = ESPN
| draft = 2005 NPF Draft
| draft_link = 2005 NPF Draft
| top_pick = Amy Harre
Southern Illinois
| picked_by = Chicago Bandits
| season = Regular Season
| season_champs = Chicago Bandits
| season_champ_name = Regular Season Champions
| league_champs =
| league_champ_name =
| second_place =
| minor_premiers =
| MVP =
| MVP_link =
| Cup_MVP =
| Cup_MVP_link =
| top_scorer =
| top_scorer_link =
| promote =
| promote_from =
| relegate =
| relegate_to =
| playoffs =
| playoffs_link =
| conf1 =
| conf1_link =
| conf1_champ =
| conf1-runner-up =
| conf2 =
| conf2_link =
| conf2_champ =
| conf2-runner-up =
| playoffs_MVP =
| playoffs_MVP_link =
| finals = Cowles Cup
| finals_link =
| finals_champ =Akron Racers
| finals_runner-up = Chicago Bandits
| finals_MVP =
| finals_MVP_link =
| final_four_MVP =
| final_four_MVP_link=
| seasonslist = NPF Seasons
| seasonslistnames = NPF
| prevseason_link =
| prevseason_year = 2004
| altseason_link =
| altseason_year =
| nextseason_link =
| nextseason_year = 2006
}}
The 2005 National Pro Fastpitch season was the second 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.
Teams, cities and stadiums
{{Location map+|USA|width=350|float=none
|alt=National Pro Fastpitch Teams
|caption=National Pro Fastpitch teams
|places=
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=41.073056
|lon_deg=-81.517778
|mark= Red pog.svg
|label=Akron
|position=left
|link = Akron Racers
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=32.221667
|lon_deg=-110.926389
|mark= Blue pog.svg
|label=Arizona
|position=right
|link = Arizona Heat
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=41.990833
|lon_deg=-87.873889
|mark= Orange pog.svg
|label=Chicago
|position=left
|link = Chicago Bandits
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=40.704722
|lon_deg=-73.617222
|mark= Purple pog.svg
|label=New York
|position=right
|link = New York Juggernaut
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=29.499722
|lon_deg=-95.089722
|mark= Black pog.svg
|label=Thunder
|position=right
|link = Texas Thunder
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=40.601667
|lon_deg=-75.477222
|mark= Green pog.svg
|label=Philadelphia
|position=bottom
|link = Philadelphia Force
|background=
}}
{{Location map~|USA
|lat_deg=42.639444
|lon_deg=-71.314722
|mark= Yellow pog.svg
|label=New England
|position=left
|link = New England Riptide
|background=
}}
}}
Milestones and events
The expansion Chicago Bandits joined the league for the 2005 season.
The New York Juggernaut announced a new owner, John Schmitz of Long Island, NY. The team also introduced 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist Julie Smith as their general manager and head coach.{{cite web|title=NY/NJ JUGGERNAUT AND NPF ANNOUNCE SECOND SEASON OF LEAGUE PLAY|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=269|website=ProFastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=24 January 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905110808/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=269|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
The Arizona Heat named Stacy Iveson as their 2005 field manager.{{cite web|title=Iveson Set to Manage Heat in 2005|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3150723|website=OurSportsCentral.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=21 April 2005}}
NPF's telecast included ESPN2 broadcasting the NPF All-Star Game and the NPF Championship Game. Comcast Sports Net Chicago showed select Chicago Bandits games and Telecare televised certain Juggernaut games.{{cite web|title=NPF ANNOUNCES 2005 TV SCHEDULE|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=309|website=ProFastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=8 June 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905103408/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=309|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Player acquisition
=College draft=
{{Details|2005 NPF Draft}}
The 2005 NPF Senior Draft was held February 7, 2005.{{cite web|title=NPF ANNOUNCES 2005 COLLEGE SENIOR SELECTIONS|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=271|website=ProFastpitch.com|date=7 February 2005|accessdate=3 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905111917/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=271|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Amy Harre of Southern Illinois was selected first by the Chicago Bandits.{{cite web|author1=Lou Antoine|title=By Lou Antoine|url=http://www.siusalukis.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/020805aaa.html|website=SISalukis.com|accessdate=3 June 2015|date=8 February 2005}}
=Notable transactions=
Various Olympians joined NPF after winning the gold medal in Softball at the 2004 Summer Olympics:
- The expansion Bandits' early signings included a number of Olympic gold medalists, among them three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Leah O’Brien-Amico and Jennie Finch.
- The Juggernaut signed 2004 Olympic gold medalist Natasha Watley.{{cite web|title=NY/NJ JUGGERNAUT ANNOUNCE SIGNING OF NATASHA WATLEY|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=272|website=ProFastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=16 February 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905104315/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=272|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
- The Arizona Heat signed gold medalist Jessica Mendoza. Mendoza joined other Heat US gold medalists Lovieanne Jung and Tairia Mims-Flowers{{cite web|title=Arizona Heat Sign Their Third Gold Medalist|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3161297|website=OurSportsCentral.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=13 May 2005}}
- The Racers also signed players from the 2004 Olympic team: infielder Crystl Bustos, outfielder Kelly Kretschman, and catcher Jenny Topping.{{cite web|title=Olympians Bustos, Kretschman and Topping to Play for Racers in 2005|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=274|website=Profastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=10 March 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905111800/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=274|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
League standings
Source
| class="wikitable" |
| Team
!GP !W !L !Pct. !GB |
|---|
| Chicago Bandits
| 48 | 41 | 7 |.854 | - |
| Akron Racers
| 46 | 36 | 10 | .783 | 4 |
| Texas Thunder
| 47 | 35 | 12 | .745 | 5.5 |
| New York Juggernaut
| 45 | 31 | 14 | .689 | 8.5 |
| Arizona Heat
| 46 | 30 | 16 | .652 | 10 |
| New England Riptide
| 48 | 25 | 23 | .521 | 16 |
The 2005 schedule included a 48-game regular season schedule for each NPF teams.
The California Sunbirds played a partial schedule. The Sunbirds hoped to return to NPF full-time, but never did. Games were on the schedule against international teams: Australia, Canada, China, Russia and Venezuela.
Potential expansion teams also appeared on the schedule. These were Stratford Brakettes, Phoenix Flames, SoCal Schutt Hurricanes, Peoria Outlaws, Illinois Cougars, St. Louis Saints and the Long Island Angels. Of these candidates, only the Brakettes ever became a full-time NPF member, for only one season in 2006.
All games against international teams and expansion candidates counted in the standings for the primary NPF teams.{{cite web|title=NPF ANNOUNCES 2005 SCHEDULE|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=275|website=ProFastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=23 March 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205095007/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=275|archive-date=5 December 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
NPF Championship
The 2005 NPF Championship Series was held at Benedictine University Sports Complex in Lisle, Illinois August 27 and 28. The top four teams qualified and were seeded based on the final standings. The series matched the teams up in a double-elimination bracket. The series matched the teams up in a single-elimination bracket.
{{4TeamBracket
| RD1=NPF Semifinals (Aug. 27)
| RD2=NPF Championship (Aug 28)
| score-width=30px
| team-width=160px
| RD1-seed1=
| RD1-team1= Chicago Bandits
| RD1-score1= 6
| RD1-seed2=
| RD1-team2= New York Juggernaut
| RD1-score2= 3
| RD1-seed3=
| RD1-team3= Akron Racers
| RD1-score3= 1
| RD1-seed4=
| RD1-team4= Texas Thunder
| RD1-score4= 0
| RD2-seed1=
| RD2-team1= Chicago Bandits
| RD2-score1= 4
| RD2-seed2=
| RD2-team2= Akron Racers
| RD2-score2= 5
}}
| cellpadding="1" style="min-width:45em;text-align:center;font-size:100%; border:1px solid gray;" | |||
| style="font-size:larger;"
! colspan=8 | 2006 NPF Championship Series - Game 1 | |||
| style="background:lightblue;"
! Game | Date | Score | Location |
| 1 | August 27 | Chicago Bandits 6, New England Riptide 3{{cite web|title=Bandits Advance to Championship Game|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=477|website=ProFastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=27 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905105207/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=477|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} | Lisle, Illinois |
| cellpadding="1" style="min-width:45em;text-align:center;font-size:100%; border:1px solid gray;" | |||
| style="font-size:larger;"
! colspan=8 | 2006 NPF Championship Series - Game 2 | |||
| style="background:lightblue;"
! Game | Date | Score | Location |
| 2 | August 27 | Akron Racers 1, Texas Thunder 0{{cite web|author1=Bob Hurst|title=Thunder ousted in semifinal|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Thunder-ousted-in-semifinal-1935439.php|website=Houston Chronicle|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=28 August 2005}} | Lisle, Illinois |
| cellpadding="1" style="min-width:45em;text-align:center;font-size:100%; border:1px solid gray;" | |||
| style="font-size:larger;"
! colspan=8 | 2006 NPF Championship Series - Game 3 | |||
| style="background:lightblue;"
! Game | Date | Score | Location |
| 3 | August 28 | Akron Racers 5, Chicago Bandits 4 (8 innings){{cite web|title=RACERS WIN 2005 NPF CHAMPIONSHIP|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=479|website=Profastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=30 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905112600/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=479|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} | Lisle, Illinois |
| colspan=8 |Akron Racers win NPF Championship |
|---|
=Championship Game=
| class="wikitable"
! Team ! Top Batter ! Stats. |
| Akron Racers
| Oli Keohohou |
| Chicago Bandits
| Selena Collins |
| class="wikitable"
! Team ! Pitcher ! IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | AB | BF |
| Akron Racers
| Brandee McArthur | 1.1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Akron Racers
| Jamie Southern | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| Akron Racers
| Radara McHugh (W) | 4.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 18 |
| Chicago Bandits
| 4.2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 23 |
| Chicago Bandits
| Jennie Finch (L) | 3.1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 16 |
| class="wikitable"
!colspan=3|2005 NPF Championship Series MVP |
| Player
!Club |
|---|
| | |
NPF All-Star Game
The 2005 NPF All-Star Game was held August 28. The East All-Star team included players from New York Juggernaut, the New England Riptide, and the Akron Racers. The West All-Star team included players from Chicago Bandits, the Arizona Heat, and the Texas Thunder. The East won by a score of 2-1, and Iyhia McMichael of Akron Racers was chosen Most Valuable Player.{{cite web|title=East beats West|url=http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=480|website=Profastpitch.com|accessdate=5 June 2015|date=30 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102625/http://www.profastpitch.com/news/npfnews/index.html?article_id=480|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Annual awards
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Regular Season Champions |
| Chicago Bandits |
| class="wikitable" |
| Award
!Player !Team |
|---|
| Player of the Year Award |
| rowspan=2|Co-Pitchers of the Year |
| Lauren Bay |
| Homerun Derby Champion |
| Defensive Player of the Year |
| Offensive Player of the Year |
| Co-Managers of the Year
| colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|Chicago Bandits -- Eugene Lenti and Mickey Dean |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20021121135108/http://www.profastpitch.com/ National Pro Fastpitch]
{{clear}}
{{National Pro Fastpitch}}
Category:2005 in women's softball