Kretschman rakes in awards at NPF banquet

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It is hard not to compare the USSSA Pride’s Kelly Kretschman to a bottle of fine wine. It may sound like a cliche to say she is getting better with age, but the proof is in the hardware she collected at the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series Awards Banquet on Thursday night.

At 37, she is the oldest player in the league and still walked away with the following individual awards:

• All-NPF Team outfield selection • Home Run Champion • Offensive Player of the Year • Player of the Year

At one point during the ceremony, NPF Commissioner Cheri Kempf said to Kretschman, “Why don’t you sit right there!” pointing to the table in front of the awards. “She is winning everything in the league and walks up like she’s 100 years old.”

There was a noticeable limp in Kretschman’s stride, but whatever the injury may be, it did not stop this 5-foot-6 repeat Player of the Year from the first Triple Crown season in the NPF history. A two-time Olympic medalist — gold in Athens (2004) and silver in Beijing (2008) — Kretschman finished with a .466 batting average, 13 home runs and 45 RBIs. She also finished the season with league-leading marks in runs (42), hits (62) and second in doubles and walks in 48 games.

“It’s hard for me to talk about the individual awards,” Kretschman said. “Winning as a team is more important to me. My teammates are everything and we still have the frustration of losing last year. That is the only thing on our minds.”

Kretschman leads the top-seeded Pride (37-13) into the 2016 NPF Championship Series semifinals Friday at 9 p.m. ET against the …

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