Six Former Wolverines to Play in NPF Championships Series
8/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 17, 2011
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Six former University of Michigan softball players will appear in the 2011 National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series, scheduled for Aug. 18-21 at McMurry Park in Sulphur, La.
The Wolverines are represented on all four NPF teams. The top-seeded USSSA Florida Pride boasts first baseman Samantha Findlay (2005-08) and RHP Jordan Taylor (2008-11), the Chicago Bandits have LHP Nikki Nemitz (2007-10) and first baseman Dorian Shaw (2008-11), the Akron Racers carry catcher Roya St. Clair (2007-10), and the NPF Diamonds have outfielder Angela Findlay (2007-10).
A different team has captured the NPF Cowles Cup championship since its inauguration in 2004. Last year, the USSSA Pride won its first championship trophy by beating the Chicago Bandits, 2-1, 2-7, 7-2, in the best-of-three series.
Shaw and Findlay were selected for the 2011 NPF Battle of the Bats competition that annually caps the season-long home run derby. The event will be streamed live at Wednesday's Fan Fest; first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CDT.
The championship series format places the four NPF teams in seeded positions based on their regular-season standings. The No. 1-seeded USSSA Florida Pride will play the No. 4 NPF Diamonds and the No. 2 Chicago Bandits and No. 3 Akron Racers will play each other in best-of-three series. The winners of those two series will face off in a best-of-three final series that begins at 7 p.m. CDT on Saturday (Aug. 20).
Game 2 of the final series will take place live on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com at 1 p.m. CDT on Sunday (Aug. 21), with the if necessary game following at 4 p.m. In the event an if game is necessary, it will be aired, via tape delay, on Monday (Aug. 22) at 9 p.m. CDT on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
| Game | Teams | Time |
| Thursday, August 18 | ||
| Game 1 | Chicago Bandits vs. Akron Racers | 6 p.m. |
| Game 2 | USSSA Florida Pride vs. NPF Diamonds | 8:30 p.m. |
| Friday, August 19 | ||
| Game 3 | USSSA Florida Pride vs. NPF Diamonds | 6 p.m. |
| Game 4 | Chicago Bandits vs. Akron Racers | 8:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, August 20 | ||
| Game 5 | USSSA Florida Pride vs. NPF Diamonds | 11 a.m. (if necessary) |
| Game 6 | Chicago Bandits vs. Akron Racers | 1:30 p.m. (if necessary) |
| Game 7 | Final Series #1 | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, August 21 | ||
| Game 8 | Final Series #2 | 1 p.m. |
| Game 9 | Final Series #3 | 4 p.m. (if necessary) |
All times are CDT
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
