Courtesy of Cal Poly Sports Information
Cal Poly senior shortstop Melissa Pura, a two-time All-Big West Conference first team honoree and the Cal Poly softball program’s career leader for home runs (28), RBI (109) and slugging percentage (.595), was selected late Tuesday in the fourth round of the National Pro Fastpitch draft by the Akron Racers.
The 17th overall selection of Tuesday’s draft, Pura will be eligible to sign a contract with Akron once her NCAA eligibility expires at the close of the 2009 campaign. Selected to the 2008 NFCA All-West Region second team, Pura also ranks third in Cal Poly program history with 268 total bases, fourth with 87 runs and 33 doubles and fifth with a .313 batting average. Since her 2006 freshman season, Pura has started 154 of the 156 games Cal Poly has contested.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for Melissa to continue playing after college and an honor to have people consider her talented enough to do so,” said fifth-year Cal Poly head coach Jenny Condon. “Given her skills, I feel that Melissa will be very successful in NPF.”
Most recently, Pura was named Big West Player of the Week Feb. 9 after batting .500 (6-for-12), slugging .917 and collecting six RBI during Cal Poly’s four-game slate at the season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament, hosted by UCLA Feb. 6-8. Idle this past week, Cal Poly (2-2) begins play at the Oregon State-hosted Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., against No. 8 Oklahoma Friday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.
Should she sign with Akron, Pura has the opportunity to appear alongside Racers outfielder and former Cal Poly NFCA All-America first team selection Lisa Modglin (2004-07). Selected to the 2008 All-NPF team after batting .308 with New England, Modglin became a fee agent this past offseason after the Riptide franchise withdrew from the 2009 season, citing economic duress. Modglin will serve as a volunteer assistant with Cal Poly until the 2009 NPF campaign begins.
Arizona State senior outfielder Kaitlin Cochran, a 2008 NFCA All-America first team honoree, was selected by Akron with the first overall pick in Tuesday’s draft. Pura was the lone Big West player drafted.
NPF champions in 2005, Akron opens the 2009 campaign June 10 against the Rockford Thunder.