CHICAGO, Ill. – LSU softball coach Beth Torina and former All-American pitcher Brittany Mack begin the 2012 National Pro Fastpitch season with the USSSA Pride this weekend.
The Pride is based out of Kissimmee, Florida and opens their 44-game regular season schedule versus the defending NPF champion, Chicago Bandits, during a four-game series from June 7-10. The 2012 NPF championship is slated for August 23-26 in Rosemont, Illinois.
Torina assumes the team’s head coaching duties in her third season with the franchise. In her first season as assistant coach, the USSSA Pride captured the 2010 NPF championship. Torina guided LSU to the program’s third Women’s College World Series appearance and ended an eight-season draught at the championship event.
Mack, who signed her pro contract on Wednesday, was the USSSA Pride’s No. 1 overall draft pick in March. The 2011 NFCA Third-Team All-American amassed a 56-26 record, a 1.90 ERA and 602 strikeouts over her four-year career at LSU. The 602 Ks and 56 victories rank fifth and sixth in program history, respectively.
Torina, Mack and the USSSA Pride will meet the Carolina Diamonds at LSU’s Tiger Park in a four-game series from July 6-8. Game times are set for 7:05 p.m. [Friday], 12:05 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. [Saturday] and 2:05 p.m. [Sunday].
“The NPF creates an amazing opportunity for women in our sport,” Torina said. “These women are so talented and deserve a league to showcase their ability. It is so nice for Brittany to get an opportunity to play in the NPF, and I’m excited that I’ll be able to coach her during this journey. I have the complete confidence that she’ll continue to have the same level of success in the NPF that was able to have at LSU.”
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).
NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.
Matt Dunaway
Associate Sports Information Director
LSU Athletics
About USSSA Florida Pride:
The USSSA Florida Pride is a professional franchise in the National Pro Fastpitch League that is owned and operated by USSSA. The amateur organization of USSSA has multi-sport coverage and encompasses teams and players from the United States and abroad.
About NPF:
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.
About USSSA:
The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), headquartered in Osceola County, Florida, USSSA is the World’s Largest Multi-sport Athletic Organization. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 3.7 million participants, competing in 13 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information on USSSA and to register your team visit USSSA.com. Also be sure to visit USSSAToday.com for the latest USSSA News!
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