Kissimmee, FL – February 15, 2017 –The USSSA Florida Pride has signed former Chicago Bandits left-handed pitcher Angel Bunner for the 2017 season.
“We are excited to welcome Angel to the Pride family,” commented USSSA Pride General Manager, Don DeDonatis. “As she proved in the 2016 NPF Championship, she has what it takes to win and we hope to add the 2017 NPF Championship to her list of accolades.”
In the 2012 NPF Draft, Bunner was chosen 17th overall by the Carolina Diamonds and became the first Auburn softball player to play professionally. The Carolina Diamonds folded in 2013 and the roster, including Bunner, was picked up by the NPF expansion team the New York/New Jersey Comets where she spent one summer before joining the PA Rebellion in 2014.
Bunner then joined the Chicago Bandits midway through the 2016 season and became the winning pitcher in game three of the NPF Championship series, pitching six innings to earn her first Cowles Cup Championship trophy.
Prior to the NPF, Bunner spent four years (2008-2012) with Auburn where she finished her college career with top ten ranks in ERA (2.24 -5th), BAA (.226 -5th), wins (44 -5th), saves (6 -7th) and strikeouts (326 -8th).
Bunner also set third-best single-season ERA (1.53) in 2011, set ninth-best single-season batting average against at (.205) in 2011, tied for seventh-most wins in single-season with 16 in 2011, and set single-season record for fewest walks with 22 in 2012.
She also recorded 8 wins in her freshman season; red shirted her sophomore year due to injury; 7 in her second full season; 16 in her third full year; and 13 in her last season for a career total of 44 wins. In that stretch, Bunner struck out a total of 326 batters for the Tigers.
“We knew we needed to add another lefty to our pitching staff this off season, so Angel Bunner was a no brainer,” added Assistant General Manager Megan Willis on the recent signing. “Her experience in the League is icing on the cake, especially after trading veteran Chelsea Thomas.”
The Pride kick-off the season on June 8th where they will take on the Akron Racers in their 2017 home opener.
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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 USSSA: USSSA is 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.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF): National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The 2016 NPF season will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Coverage includes the NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thur., April 14, followed by 23 regular-season games, a Championship Series Preview Special and the 2016 NPF Championship Series. The NPF recently announced that the Scrap Yard Dawgs, located in The Woodlands, Texas, will join the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Dallas Charge, Pennsylvania Rebellion and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2016 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand, representing the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.