History is about to be made as the Aussie Spirit prepare to take the field for the first game of their debut season in the National Pro Fastpitch league.

Taylah Tsitsikronis (left) and Amelia Cudicio face the media.

Michelle Cox hits off a tee at practice.

On Saturday morning (AEST), the Spirit will take on the Beijing Shougang Eagles in the first game of the 2018 NPF season.

That will be the first of 48 NPF games for the Spirit, with their regular season ending on July 18.

Regardless of how they go in their first game, the Spirit won’t have time for celebration or commiseration – they play a double header against the same opponents the following day.

The Australian players have had several training sessions at their base at Missouri Western State University, where the opening game will be played. On the eve of their first game they featured in a media day and will hold another training session before the first game.

Head Coach Fabian Barlow is still working on his Opening Day lineup and has not revealed who will be on the diamond for the first pitch.

Most of the Aussie Spirit players are already in Missouri, but some will not be joining the team until next month.

Softball Australia CEO Chet Gray, who worked with NPF officials to make the Spirit’s participation a reality, says it’s an exciting time for Australian softball.

“This is a significant moment in Australian softball history as it marks the first time an Australian team has competed in a professional league,” Gray says.

“It’s a great opportunity for the players and coaches and gives the Aussie Spirit the best possible preparation ahead of the World Championship in Japan.”

The Aussie Spirit’s pitching depth will be bolstered by the inclusion of two Americans early in the season.

Monica Perry is well known to many of the Spirit players after representing South Australia in recent Gilley’s Shield competitions. She will be joined early next month by Jordan Taylor, a Californian right-hander who is about to finish her stint playing in Japan.

Most of the Aussie Spirit games will be streamed live on npf-tv.com, which will be accessible through the National Pro Fastpitch website.

Best of all, the telecasts will be free of charge.

The Softball Australia website and social media pages will provide links to the live streaming as they become available.

A training session on the eve of the first game.

Games that are not streamed through the NPF website will be available on multiple other platforms, not through an app. There is also an NPF Game of the Week on ESPN, but it is not known if this will be available in Australia.

Straight after the NPF season, the Aussie Spirit will head to Japan to prepare for the XVI Women’s Softball World Championship, to be held in Chiba from August 2-12. This tournament is the first potential qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

About National Pro Fastpitch 

National Pro Fastpitch, an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success.  The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Spirit, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2018 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China, among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.

Aussie Spirit players in the NPF

2018 NPF schedule