THE CHICAGO BANDITS

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The Comcast Chicago Bandits and Network Foundation Technologies are pleased to announce a partnership that will provide a "FREE-for-View" experience for all Comcast Chicago Bandits fast pitch fans, through the Comcast Chicago Bandits Network. The 2008-2009 Comcast Chicago Bandits season will be broadcast live over the Internet utilizing Network Foundation Technologies' NiFTy Online Television product.
Click HERE to download Bandit's TV!!
This partnership will provide world-wide access to all Comcast Chicago Bandits home games at no cost to the viewer.

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Commissioner Cheri Kempf released the roster today for Team NPF, an All-Star Team that will face the U.S. Olympic Softball Team twice this summer, as part of their Bound-4-Beijing Tour. Seventeen players make up the roster of the squad that will face the Red, White and Blue. The first game is at 6 p.m., on June 6 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City and at 3 p.m., on June 14 at Champions Park in Normal, Ill. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN (Saturday, July 5 at noon EDT for the June 6 game and Sunday, July 13 at 1 p.m. EDT for the June 14 game).
Team NPF will also compete against Team Canada and Team China on Field No. 4 at Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday, June 5. Game times are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“We are excited to bring premiere NPF competition to fans this summer as we face off against the U.S. Olympic Softball Team, Team Canada and Team China,” said Cheri Kempf, NPF President. “All three teams are preparing for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and NPF represents the highest level of competition they will face. We look forward to exciting games and showcasing our talented athletes to the fans of Oklahoma City, Normal, Ill and the ESPN television audience.”
Patti Gasso, the head softball coach at the University of Oklahoma, and Cindy Bristow, a private instructor, will be co-head coaches of Team NPF. Bristow was head coach and assistant general manager of the Georgia Pride, which later became the Florida Wahoos, a team in the Women's Professional Softball League.
“It is a pleasure and thrill for me to be coaching such an outstanding and accomplished group of the best the NPF has to offer. With such an elite group, we will be able to challenge any team at any time!” stated Gasso.
The Philadelphia Force led the way with four selections on the team, including two draftees who will be confirmed upon completion of their college seasons. The Akron Racers, New England Riptide and Rockford Thunder each add three players to Team NPF, including two draftees for the Thunder, while Chicago and Washington added two players to the squad.
Following are brief profiles of each team’s players selected to represent TEAM NPF. Note: Although draftees are listed for information purposes, they will not be confirmed on Team NPF until they sign a contract with their respective NPF team following the completion of their college season.
Kristen Butler
Norelle Dickson
Veronica Wootson
Jaime Clark
Kristina Thorson
Jocelyn Forest
Carri Leto Martin
Shanel Scott
Sharonda McDonald
Kellie Wilkerson
Kristen Zaleski
Desiree Serrano
Amber Jackson
Savannah Brown
Tonya Callahan
*Megan Gibson
*Katie Burkhart
The U.S. Olympic Team is comprised of 15 players and three alternates for the Beijing Olympics. The Bound-4-Beijing tour will make 42 stops across the country and the team will compete in over 60 games against NCAA Division I opponents, Regional All-Star teams and International Competition. Monica Abbot, Cat Osterman, Kelly Kretschman, Vicky Galindo and Jennie Finch have previously played for NPF Teams and are expected to return to league competition in 2009.
Currently, the Red, White & Blue is 31-1 during the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour including outscoring opponents 326-12. The team is coming off a tight 2-0 victory over the NPF Glory in Bowie, Md., where a pre-Olympic tour record-breaking 8,274 fans watched the game.
The offensive leader for the U.S. is outfielder Jessica Mendoza who has contributed 53 RBI with a team-high 49 hits. She has scored 39 runs and is error-less in 31 starts in left field. In the circle, Jennie Finch has worked 58.1 innings with a 0.36 ERA. The right-handed pitcher is 8-1 while owning a team-high 119 strikeouts.
Major League Baseball is the Official Development Partner of National Pro Fastpitch in the category of women's professional fastpitch softball. The partnership, which began the fall of 2002, is part of The Commissioner's Initiative on Women and Baseball, a league-wide effort to help Major League Baseball and the 30 Major League Clubs build stronger relationships with female audiences.
The 2008 NPF Season kicks off on Thursday, May 29th, with the Chicago Bandits at the Rockford Thunder, Netherlands National Team at Philadelphia Force and New England Riptide at Washington Glory.
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Denver, Colo. 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 Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL).