Dallas, TX—The Dallas Charge of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league are excited to announce the signing of Eri Yamada and Kazuki Watanabe from the Japan Softball League. Both Yamada and Watanabe were members of the Chicago Bandits during the 2013 NPF season. Yamada brings an Olympic gold and silver medal to the Charge roster having won gold with Japan in the 2008 Beijing Games and silver in the 2004 Athens Games.
“These two players have been outstanding for many years in the Japan League and on the international stage and now they bring their exciting talents to our new roster and the Dallas area. Yamada is an outstanding outfielder and hitter and Kazuki is an experienced catcher who can handle our eclectic pitching staff. Both of them will give us needed left handed bats and will help us be competitive in our first season,” said Charge General Manager Kevin Shelton.
Yamada is one of the most decorated players in Japan softball history. During the 2008 Olympics, Yamada went 2-3 and hit a solo homerun off Cat Osterman to help Japan beat USA in the gold medal game. She was an Olympic silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Games. Yamada helped Japan win gold at the 2014 and 2012 World Championship and the 2014, 2010, and 2006 Asia Championship Games.
Individually, Yamada was the Japan League Rookie of the Year in 2002 and named the Japan League leading hitter three times (2006, 2008, 2011). She has been named to the Japan League Best 9 as an outfielder 11 times in her illustrious career. In Japan, Yamada is known as “the Female Ichiro” due to her batting stance.
“I am excited to play for a new team and happy to be one of the players helping make history. I chose to come back to the NPF because I would love to learn more about the different styles of play and to improve my game by playing against such high level players. Softball should become more popular in Japan and all over the world,” said Yamada.
Watanabe has caught for Team Toyota of the Japan League from 2008 to 2015. With Toyota, Watanabe has won the Japan League four times and the All Japan Softball Tournament three times. Internationally, Watanabe won gold with Japan in the 2012 World Championship.
Individually, Watanabe was named Catcher of the Year in the Japan League in 2013 and 2014. In Japan, she has caught Chicago Bandit and former USA Olympian Monica Abbott the past several seasons. At the plate, the lefty hit .395 last year with Toyota and .407 in 2013.
“I am very excited to work with the pitchers with different talent and do our best to win. It is exciting to be teammates with players whom I play against in the Japan League. I feel honored to be part of the brand new team at the beginning of the team’s history!” said Watanabe.
Yamada and Watanabe helped the Chicago Bandits win the 2013 NPF regular season title and finished second in the NPF Championship Series.
The signing of Yamada and Watanabe makes them the second and third international players on the Charge roster joining Australian pitcher Vanessa Stokes. They join Ayumi Karino and Sonoka Kuniyoshi of the Akron Racers and Yuri Masuyama of the Pennsylvania Rebellion as the only Japanese players in the NPF.
Yamada and Watanabe will join the Charge once their 2015 Japan League teams finish play in June. The Dallas Charge inaugural season kicks off at home on June 3, 2015 against the Pennsylvania Rebellion. For more information and questions about the Charge, contact us at [email protected] or call 724-CHARGE1 (724-242-7431). You can also follow the Charge on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the Dallas Charge
The Dallas Charge will begin competition in the National Pro Fastpitch league in 2015. The Charge will provide elite softball players the opportunity to pursue a professional career and inspire the next generation of professionals. Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Charge organization and its players are committed to demonstrating leadership in community involvement, entertainment, and professionalism. Follow the Charge at www.dallascharge.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball and has been since 2002.