Monday, March 21, 2011

Spartanburg, S.C. – In a career filled with tremendous accolades and honors, USC Upstate softball pitcher Morgan Childers has racked up yet another accomplishment after being drafted in the 4th round of the 2011 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) College Senior Draft Friday night. Childers was selected by the Akron Racers with the 14th overall pick.

"I don't know what to say. I am speechless," said Childers. "I can't stop smiling. When I looked at all of the stats from all of the players taken before me, I was thinking "there's no way.' I am shocked and really happy. I can barely breathe."

The NPF is the only professional fastpitch softball league in the United States and fields four teams in Akron, Chicago, Orlando and Tennessee just outside of Nashville. The league's season runs from June through the middle of August, allowing the College World Series to finish before it starts in order to have recent draftees finish the school year and the season.

Akron finished third in the regular season standings in 2010, compiling a 24-25 record. The Racers lost to eventual league champion USSSA Pride in the first round of the playoffs. They have current roster players who played college ball at Alabama, North Carolina, California, Missouri, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Mississippi State. They open the season at home against the NPF Diamonds (Tennessee) on June 9 in Akron. Akron currently has two pitchers on its roster for 2011, Lisa Norris (North Carolina) and Kristina Thorson (California). Norris ranked second in the league with a 2.22 ERA and going 14-6 for the Racers last season. Thorson pitched for the Chicago Bandits last year, compiling 10-5 record with a 3.01 ERA.