University of Memphis Athletics
2011 NPF Back to School Tour Begins against Memphis Softball
Sep 28, 2011 | Softball
Sept. 28, 2011
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The National Pro Fastpitch All-Stars begin their 2011 NPF Back to School Tour in Memphis for the second year in a row. The University of Memphis softball team will battle Team NPF on Friday, September 30 at 6 p.m. at Gameday's First Tennessee Fields in Cordova.
"I'm excited about playing the game," said Memphis head coach Natalie Poole. "I think it's great for the community and great for our program. The main thing for us is that we're trying to step back and figure out ways to get better so that over the next couple of months we get ourselves to a point that we need to be. We just want to see them show up, work hard and not give up and be able to have some quality at bats, be able to pitch well and hit our spots, play the ball well and be in it. I think if we do those things, we're going to be just fine."
Tickets for the game can be purchased at the gate for $5 and parking is free. There is also a dinner with Memphis and the NPF All-Stars after the game at 8 p.m. at The Grizzlies Den in the complex. Tickets for the dinner are $25 per person and can be purchased at www.gamedaysoftball.com.
The NPF players and the University of Memphis will team up on Saturday, October 1, for a softball clinic from 10 a.m.-Noon. The clinic is $250 per team, which includes tickets to the game on Friday or $45 for individuals. Visit www.gamedaysoftball.com for more information or to register for the clinic.
Memphis is in its second week of fall team practices under the direction of Poole, who took over the program from McNeese State. The Tigers return five of 10 starters and 14 letterwinners from a team that finished 36-14 in 2011 and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. Memphis also returns three of four pitchers from a staff that finished third in C-USA with a 1.81 ERA. Joining the group are six newcomers, including two junior transfers.
"I have a list, and we're working down that list of things we need to do to get better," Poole said. "I think that we will see some improvements this week, and I think in the next few weeks we will see even more."
Among the NPF players travelling to Memphis are Olympic medalists Andrea Duran (UCLA/USSSA Pride) and Caitlin Lowe (Arizona/USSSA Pride), former Canadian Olympic Team members Caitlin Lever (Georgia Tech/Chicago Bandits) and Jenn Salling (Washington/USSSA Pride); and 2011 All NPF Team Members Ashley Charters (Washington/USSSA Pride) and Bianca Mejia (Long Island University/NPF Diamonds).
Other players on the team include Jessica Bachkora (Arkansas/NPF Diamonds), Jamee Juarez (Ohio State/Chicago Bandits), Taryne Mowatt (Arizona/Chicago Bandits), Angeline Quiocho (BYU/NPF Diamonds), Melissa Roth (Louisville/USSSA Pride) and Roya St. Clair (Michigan/Akron Racers).
The NPF Back to School Tour is sponsored in part by USSSA with additional support from Major League Baseball. This year's tour includes 19 games at over 17 stops.
The NPF Back to School Tour was launched in 2010 as a way to introduce the League and its premier athletes to enthusiastic fans of the game all across the United States. In 2010, the Tour made 20 stops and played in front of over 20,000 unique fans. The NPF team of All-Stars is a combination of players from all four of the NPF's League participants - Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, NPF Diamonds and USSSA Florida Pride. The team plays exhibition games against college teams from San Diego, Calif., to Daytona Beach, Fla.
For more information about the NPF, visit www.profastpitch.com.
Gameday's First Tennessee Fields is located at 7800 Fischer Steel Road in Cordova, Tenn.
