Arizona softball: Danielle O’Toole signs with NPF’s Chicago Bandits

O’Toole can begin her NPF career now that her duties with Team USA have ended

Danielle O’Toole’s duties with Team USA ended Sunday after they lost to Japan in the World Cup of Softball championship game, and now the left-hander will begin her National Pro Fastpitch career.

The Arizona alumna has signed with the Chicago Bandits for the remainder of the season, Bandits general manager Toni Calmeyn announced Saturday.

“We are thrilled to have Danielle join our pitching staff during the back half of this season,” Calmeyn said in a statement. “She’s proven to be an effective arm at the highest level of the game and we’ll look forward to her joining us for the playoff push.”

O’Toole was drafted eighth overall by the Bandits in the second round of the NPF Draft in April. She went 30-5 with a 1.21 ERA in her redshirt senior season at Arizona, becoming UA’s first 30-game winner since 2010.

“I didn’t even think about it (playing professionally) until probably my last year because I didn’t think Team USA would be a possibility either,” O’Toole said in April.

“When I got picked for the USA team I was like ‘whoa, now I have two things.”

O’Toole appeared in three games for Team USA, notching 12 scoreless innings of work, including a one-hit shutout of Japan.

The Bandits, who were NPF champions the past two seasons, are in fourth place in the six-team league, holding a 14-13 record through 27 games.

They have 23 games left this season.

“I know a couple people that play for the Bandits right now and as long as I know people and I’m going to a place that is looking forward to having me, that’s pretty cool,” O’Toole said in April.

According to FloSoftball, the salary cap for NPF teams is $175,000, but “the only paid amount that currently applies to the salary cap is the salary itself, eliminating signing bonus's, performance incentives, improved living conditions, et al.”

The minimum salary is $3,000.

Mo Mercado (USSSA Pride), Mandie Perez (USSSA Pride), and Katiyana Mauga (Texas Charge) — also selected in April — have been with their respective teams from the start of the season.

Mercado is hitting .125/.125/.188 with one RBI in 16 at-bats.

Perez is hitting .222/.300/.333 in nine at-bats.

Mauga is batting .167/.286/.250 with one homer and four RBI in 36 at-bats.

Nancy Bowling, who signed with the Beijing Eagles after going undrafted, is hitting .095/.174/.095 in 21 at-bats while compiling a 9.73 ERA in 13 ²⁄₃ innings of work.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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