2000 Women's Pro Softball League season

The 2000 Women's Professional Softball League season was the fourth season of professional women's fastpitch softball for the league named Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL). It was the WPSL's final season until the league relaunched in 2004 under the name National Pro Fastpitch. In 1997 and 1998, WPSL operated under the name Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF).

Teams, cities and stadiums TeamCityStadium Akron RacersAkron, Ohio Firestone Stadium Ohio Pride Florida WahoosPlant City, FLPlant City Stadium Tampa Bay FireStix

Milestones and events In October 1999, the WPSL announced a restructuring plan to consolidate the league and to facilitate a tour between the league's teams and the USA Softball Women's National Team. The plan was to take the 1999 roster of teams ( Akron Racers, Carolina Diamonds, Durham Dragons, Georgia Pride, Tampa Bay FireStix, and Virginia Roadsters) and reduce it to two teams in Ohio and two teams in Florida. The tour of exhibition games against team USA was called "From Central Park to Sydney" (the 2000 Olympics were played in Sydney, Australia) and ran from May to September.

The WPSL's two Florida teams were revealed as the Tampa Bay Firestix and Florida Wahoos, and the Ohio teams as the Akron Racers and Ohio Pride. These locations in Florida and Ohio were intended to be developed as national training centers for fastpitch softball.

On October 14, 1999 WPSL suspended operations of the Georgia Pride, Durham Dragons, Carolina Diamonds, and Virginia Roadsters. The contracted Roadsters' players were assigned to the newly created Ohio Pride of Akron, Ohio. The contracted Georgia Pride players were assigned to the expansion Florida Wahoos of Plant City, Fla. Tampa Bay FireStix relocated to Plant City Stadium in Plant City, Fla. The players of the Dragons and Diamonds became available for selection in the 2000 WPSL draft.

Player Acquisition

Player Drafts

WPSL held Draft Day 2000 on December 4 at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Petersburg, FL during the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Convention. Three drafts were held: The 2000 Elite/Supplemental Draft selected players from a pool of players on the rosters of the Dragons and Diamonds, 1999 USA Softball Olympic Trial and Olympic Festival invitees who had completed their collegiate eligibility, and WPSL players who were not on their teams' protected list. The Florida Wahoos selected Fresno State shortstop Nina Lindenburg as the first elite/supplemental pick. The 2000 Senior Draft selected from collegiate senior fastpitch players. The Ohio Pride chose Fresno State pitcher Amanda Scott as the first senior pick. The 2001 National Team Draft drew from the 2000 USA Olympic roster, with the hope the players selected would play in the WPSL in 2001. (However, the WPSL suspended play before the 2001 season.) The Akron Racers selected 1996 Olympic Gold Medal-winning pitcher Lisa Fernandez as the first overall National Team pick.

Central Park to Sydney tour

As part of the run-up to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, a nine-city tour, called “Central Park to Sydney Tour,” was scheduled between WPSL teams and the USA national softball team. USA pitcher Lisa Fernandez pitched five straight perfect games, and in one of those games she struck out all 21 batters.

Tour schedule and results DATE TEAMS STADIUMLOCATIONFriday, June 2USA Softball 1, Florida Wahoos 0 Jim Frost StadiumChattanooga, TNFriday, June 9USA Softball 1, Akron Racers 0Firestone StadiumAkron, OHSunday, June 25USA Softball 1, Tampa Bay FireStix 0Plant City StadiumPlant City, FLSaturday, July 1USA Softball 7, Ohio Pride 0Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame FieldStratford, CTSunday, July 16USA Softball 2, Akron Racers 1Husky StadiumSeattle, WASunday, July 23USA Softball 2, Florida Wahoos 0Bulldog Diamond(renamed Margie Wright Stadium in 2014)Fresno, CAThursday, July 27USA Softball 2, Ohio Pride 0ASA Hall of Fame StadiumOklahoma City, OKSaturday, August 12USA Softball 3, Tampa Bay FireStix 1O'Neil ParkBloomington, ILSaturday, September 2USA Softball 1, WPSL All-Stars 0Rainbow Wahine Softball StadiumHonolulu, HISunday, September 3USA Softball 1, WPSL All-Stars 0Sunday, September 3USA Softball 10, WPSL All-Stars 0(ended in 6th inning due to 'mercy' rule)

League standings Source: TeamGPWLPct.GB Florida Wahoos 32 24 8 .750 - Ohio Pride 32 16 16 .500 8 Akron Racers 32 15 17 .469 9 Tampa Bay FireStix 32 9 23 .281 13

WPSL Championship The 2000 WPSL Championship Series was held at Meador Park in Springfield, Mo on August 25 and 26. The top two WPSL teams met in a best-of-three series to determine the champion.

2000 WPSL Championship SeriesFlorida Wahoos defeat Ohio Pride 2–0 Game Date Score Series 1 August 25 Florida Wahoos 3, Ohio Pride 0 1–0 2 August 26 Florida Wahoos 1, Ohio Pride 0 2–0

2000 NPF Championship Series MVP PlayerClubSteph KlaviterFlorida Wahoos

Statistical leaders WOMEN'S PRO SOFTBALL LEAGUE LEADERS (THROUGH GAMES OF 8/19/00)

BATTING TOP 10 (MINIMUM 76 PLATE APPEARANCES) BATTERTEAMAVGGABRHHRRBIPatti BenedictFlorida Wahoos.33031106113517 Nina LindenbergFlorida Wahoos.3113290122836Julie SmithOhio Pride.2893097102804Jamie Foutch Ohio Pride.28432951227513Danielle CoxAkron Racers.2752969111902Kellyn TateAkron Racers.274308482316Julie CrandallFlorida Wahoos.238298031903Kim MaherFlorida Wahoos.2173092720110Dana DeganOhio Pride.216267451614Kendall RichardsFlorida Wahoos.214298491808 HOME RUNS PLAYERTEAMHRJamie FoutchOhio Pride 5Marty Laudato Tampa Bay FireStix4Nina LindenbergFlorida Wahoos3Several Players Tied at 2

RBI PLAYERTEAMRBIJamie FoutchOhio Pride13Soia MaumausoloFlorida Wahoos11Kim MaherFlorida Wahoos10Julie AdamsOhio Pride9Marty LaudatoTampa Bay FireStix9

STOLEN BASES PLAYERTEAMSBDanielle CoxAkron Racers 9Traci ConradAkron Racers7Julie SmithOhio Pride7Barbara JordanTampa Bay FireStix6Several Players Tied at 5

TEAM BATTING TEAMAVGABRHHRBBSOSBCS Florida Wahoos.20984768177851111167Ohio Pride.196838651641144165238Akron Racers.180821531487472263514Tampa Bay FireStix.13977936108863187169 TEAM PITCHING TEAMWLERAH CGSHOSVHRBBSOFlorida Wahoos2480.8513128150652212Akron Racers15170.9915818631360149Ohio Pride16161.321412183756203Tampa Bay FireStix9231.501672530837125

PITCHING TOP 10 (MINIMUM 32 IP) PITCHERTEAMW-LERAIPHBBSOSteph Klaviter Florida Wahoos10- 20.2584311168Amy KylerAkron Racers3- 50.8368432260Liza BrownAkron Racers3- 30.8947271129Sarah DawsonAkron Racers6- 50.9276491541Kaci ClarkFlorida Wahoos 8- 30.9482462777Brandee McArthurOhio Pride6- 70.98107691787Monica Triner Tampa Bay FireStix3-101.099674944Heather ComptonOhio Pride7- 31.3468352481Desarie Knipfer Florida Wahoos6- 31.4473541467Carla BrookbankAkron Racers3- 41.4449391219

WINS PITCHERTEAMWSteph KlaviterFlorida Wahoos10Kaci ClarkFlorida Wahoos8Heather ComptonOhio Pride7Several Players Tied at 6

SAVES PITCHERTEAMSVLiza BrownAkron Racers2Carla BrookbankAkron Racers1Heather ComptonOhio Pride1Holly KillionOhio Pride1Brandee McArthurOhio Pride1 STRIKEOUTS PITCHERTEAMSOBrandee McArthurOhio Pride87Heather ComptonOhio Pride81Kaci ClarkFlorida Wahoos77Steph KlaviterFlorida Wahoos68Desarie KnipferFlorida Wahoos67

Annual awards

Source:

AwardPlayerTeamNoteMost Valuable PlayerPatti BenedictFlorida WahoosHitter of the YearPatti BenedictFlorida WahoosHome Run ChampionJaime FoutchOhio Pride5 HRPitcher of the YearSteph KlaviterFlorida Wahoos league leader in wins and ERADefensive Player of the YearJulie SmithOhio Pride only committed two errorsCoach of the YearCindy BristowFlorida Wahoosregular-season record of 24-8 (.750), berth in the 2000 WPSL Championship Series.

WPSL All-Star Team

2000 WPSL All-Star Team roster

2000 WPSL ALL-STAR ROSTER PlayerPositionWPSL TeamCollegeHometownJulie Adams3BOhio PrideUCLACypress, CAPatti BenedictOFFlorida WahoosMichiganLamont, FLHeather ComptonPOhio PrideUCLASanta Maria, CADanielle CoxOFAkron RacersFlorida StateAnniston, ALJulie CrandallCFlorida WahoosUNLVSan Jose, CADana DegenDPOhio PrideHawaiiLa Mesa, CAJaime FoutchOF/1BOhio PrideOklahoma StateEdmond, OKBarbara JordanOFTampa Bay FireStixCSNUGranada Hills, CASteph KlaviterPFlorida WahoosMinnesotaNew Ulm, MNDesarie KnipferPFlorida WahoosCP - SLOScotts Valley, CAAmy KylerPAkron RacersCleveland StateMarshallville, OHNina LindenbergSSFlorida WahoosFresno StateAnaheim, CAKim MaherOFFlorida WahoosFresno StateOakland, CAKendall Richards3BFlorida WahoosTexas A&MEugene, ORJulie Smith2BOhio PrideFresno StateGlendora, CAKellyn TateOFAkron RacersMichiganChesterfield, MO Head Coach: Cindy Bristow, Florida Wahoos

The USA Olympic softball team played a doubleheader against each NPF All-Star Team on July 13. The Olympians swept the games beating the East 5-0, and edging the West 5-3 in 9 innings. The West All-Stars beat the East by a score of 1-0 on July 14. Nancy Evans was named the Most Valuable Player.

See also

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

References

External links National Pro Fastpitch