NPF Chicago Bandits

Bandits Sign Four from Open Tryouts, Including Former Conant H.S. Player

Published on May 31, 2016 under National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Chicago Bandits News Release


Chicago Bandits Signee Alaynie Page with South Carolina
Chicago Bandits Signee Alaynie Page with South Carolina
(Chicago Bandits, Credit: South Carolina Athletics)

ROSEMONT - The Chicago Bandits announced today that have agreed to contracts with four players that participated in last Sunday's open tryout held at The Ballpark at Rosemont.

Among the 38 players who participated in a variety of skills tests, situations and scrimmages, nine were chosen for further evaluation and took part in the Bandits exhibition game against the Indiana Slammers later that night. The field was then cut to four and officially finalized late Monday evening after final deliberations were made among Bandits owner Bill Sokolis, general manager Aaron M. Moore and head coach Mike Steuerwald.

Selected players include South Carolina's Alaynie Page, Illinois' Allie Bauch, Central Florida's Samantha McCloskey and Indiana's Kelsey Dotson.

"We are pleased to welcome these four players to the Bandits family," Moore said. "Throughout their tryouts, they showed the talent and mentality that met our standards. We look forward to seeing what they can bring to our team in 2016.

"Our tryouts have always been more than a publicity thing and this year was no different. The players we are keeping fill roles for us, both immediately and in the long-term and it's also nice adding local talent like we did in Bauch. These four are going to get a chance to contribute to our 2016 team."

Page, an outfielder from South Carolina, finished her collegiate career with a .297 batting average, scoring 176 runs while driving in 134 for the Gamecocks. She got put on the national radar after a standout junior season in which she hit at a .436 clip at the plate and was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First Team All-American. During that season, Page broke single-season program records in four offensive categories: home runs (15), total bases (157), slugging percentage (.805) and on-base percentage (.538).

Bauch, who is originally from Elk Grove Village, Ill., joins Danielle Zymkowitz as current Illinois alums on the Bandits roster. In her four years with the Illini, Bauch recorded a .315-plus batting average in her final three seasons, including a junior campaign in which she hit .399 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI. Bauch also showcased his durability as a utility infielder, starting 202 of 207 career games.

McCloskey will have an immediate Bandits connection after making the cut. The battery mate of fellow Bandit and second-round pick Shelby Turnier at Central Florida, McCloskey impressed at tryouts with a level swing that can generate power from the right side. She batted .277 in her senior season with the Knights, smacking five home runs and driving in 26, both ranking second on the team.

Thanks to the efforts of McCloskey at the plate and Turnier in the circle, Central Florida advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of their final three years at the school, including a 50-9 season in 2015.

Dotson made a name for herself as a junior at Indiana when she batted .349 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI. Her 14 homers fell just three short of the school's single-season record. An injury cut her senior season short, in which she hit .287 with a pair of home runs and 21 RBI.

All four players will join the team immediately as the 2016 NPF season is set to begin Thursday, June 2 at 7:05 p.m. CST against the Scrap Yard Dawgs.

Single game and group tickets for the 2016 Bandits season are available now by calling the office at 877-722-6348 or by visiting www.chicagobandits.com. Tickets start at just $7.25/each.

For more information on the Bandits, please contact the team at 877-722-6348 or visit them on the web at www.chicagobandits.com.

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Images from this story

Chicago Bandits Signee Alaynie Page with South Carolina
Chicago Bandits Signee Alaynie Page with South Carolina
(South Carolina Athletics)		   



National Pro Fastpitch Stories from May 31, 2016


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