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Lady Spirit All-Stars to play in Japan

November 3, 2005 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
North Shore Spirit News Release


The Lady Spirit All-Star baseball team will travel to Japan later this month to play five games in five different venues against the Japanese National Team.

The Lady Spirit All-Stars are comprised of 16 players from the North American Women's Baseball League, which is owned by North Shore Spirit owner Nick Lopardo. The four-team league plays its games at the new Fraser Field in Lynn.

Japan has been a dominating force in women's baseball since modern-day women's international competition began. The first-ever U.S. Women's National Team, of which Lopardo served as general manager, defeated Japan, 2-0, in the championship game of the 2004 IBAF Women's Baseball World Cup in Edmonton. Prior to that, Japan had beaten the U.S. in the Women's World Series in Japan.

The Lady Spirit All-Stars will leave Nov. 13 and return Nov. 21. The final game in the series will be played in the Osaka Dome, a 48,000-seat, artificial turf facility that is one of the biggest stadiums in the country. The team will be coached by Ron Marfione and Mike Morgan, while NAWBL Commissioner Al Melanson will serve as general manager.

Also in the traveling party will be women's baseball good will ambassadors Karen Kunkel and Terry Donahue, both of whom played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which served as the basis for the movie A League of Their Own.

Darcy Doherty of Hamilton, a Salem native, and Megan Sudak of Beverly are two of the 11 U.S. natives on the Lady Spirit roster, which also includes three Australians and two Canadians. Robin Wallace, the executive director of the NAWBL who was recently named assistant general manager of the North Shore Spirit, is also on the roster.

"We were invited by the Japanese, so I guess the word is spreading (about the NAWBL)," Wallace said. "Thanks to Nick, we think we have the best women's league in the country and this trip is the opportunity of a lifetime for our players."

The roster of the Lady Spirit All-Stars going to Japan is:

Erika Cheesbro OF/IF
Darcy Doherty OF
Courtney Duggan RHP/IF
Christal Fitzgerald IF/C
Naomi Greckol-Herlich C
Danielle Greeley IF/C
Kerron Lehane RHP
Alex McCaffrey OF
Cheryl Milligan RHP/IF
Jen Pantelone RHP/IF
Maryanne Perry OF
Kelly Rodman OF
Candace Slaunwhite RHP/IF
Meagan Vidler LHP
Robin Wallace RHP/IF
Megan Sudak - Player/Manager IF
Ron Marfione Coach
Mike Morgan Coach
Al Melanson General Manager

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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