Taylor Edwards Named NPF Player of the Week

Former Nebraska two-time All-American Taylor Edwards was honored as the National Pro Fastpitch Player of the Week earlier this week. The award was the first of the season for Edwards, a 2015 All-NPF selection.

Edwards was honored after leading the league with a .500 batting average, three home runs and 10 RBIs while helping the Chicago Bandits to four victories in the final week of July. Edwards, the 2014 Division I Catcher of the Year at Nebraska, has been one of the top players in the NPF for the second straight season in 2016.

As of Aug. 4, Edwards was batting .370 on the season with eight doubles, three triples, nine homers and 31 RBIs in 39 games. She had added 19 walks, a .697 slugging percentage and .469 on-base percentage. As of Aug. 4, Edwards ranked among the top five hitters in the NPF in RBIs (3rd), home runs (4th), doubles (4th), average (4th among players with a minimum of 50 at bats) and triples (5th).

Edwards and the Bandits have won four of their last five games and owned a 21-23 record as of Aug. 4. The defending NPF champions, the Bandits are tied for third place in the NPF standings and are in a strong position to qualify for the four-team 2016 NPF Championship Series. Tatum Edwards, also a two-time All-American at Nebraska, joins her twin sister Taylor on the Bandits' roster. Tatum has made seven appearances in the circle with one start and has five doubles and eight RBIs in 33 at bats.

The Scrap Yard Dawgs, led by rookie leadoff hitter Kiki Stokes, are also in a strong position to make the NPF Championship Series. The Dawgs were in second place in the league standings with a 25-18 record as of Aug. 4. Stokes, a two-time All-American at Nebraska, is enjoying a fine rookie season. The first-round draft pick was batting .298 as of Aug. 4 with five doubles, one triple, seven homers and 19 RBIs with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.