ROSEMONT, Ill. – July 31, 2014 – After falling behind early in the first, the Bandits stormed back and scored the next five runs to defeat the league leading the USSSA Pride 5-2.
Monica Abbott got the call for the Bandits while Keilani Ricketts started in the circle for the Pride.
The Pride took an early 2-0 lead in the first off an Andrea Duran RBI double that brought home Madison Shipman to open the scoring. Kelly Kretschman followed up with an RBI single score the Pride’s second run of the game.
With the game tied at two in the third, Alisa Goler stepped to the plate and blasted an RBI double to the wall in center that gave the Bandits a 4-2 lead. Her hit proved to be the game winner but the Bandits added an insurance run in the fourth as Tammy Williams came around to score on a double by Kristen Butler.
Butler, Williams and Goler were the hot hitters for the Bandits combining for six of their eight hits.
Ricketts suffered the loss, lasting just 2.2 innings, before relief pitcher Chelsea Thomas came in to finish out the game. Ricketts gave up four runs on six hits with one strikeout.
Abbott picked up her sixth win of the season in the complete game outing, allowing just two runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts.
The action continues tomorrow as the Bandits and the Pride go head-to-head in game two of the series. The Bandits legend, Jennie Finch, will be in attendance for an autograph signing and to throw out the first pitch with fellow US Olympians, Leah O’Brien-Amico and Crystl Bustos. Finch and company will sign from 6-7 p.m. with first pitch scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
- Tonight’s attendance was 1,429
- With her double tonight, Goler will add $5 to her donation in her campaign to fight Ovarian Cancer #TeamAG35
- Brittany Cervantes continued to add to her career high in RBIs, bringing in her 35th run of the season
- The Bandits wore special jerseys in honor of Les Turner ALS Foundation Night, the Official Charity of the team. The jerseys were auctioned off during a silent auction throughout the game with proceeds benefitting the Foundation.
Box Score:Click Here
Site: Ballpark at Rosemont
Score: Pride 2, Bandits 5
Record: Pride (26-10), Bandits (22-14)
Next Bandits Game: Friday, August 1, 7:35 PM CT vs. USSSA Pride at the Ballpark at Rosemont
About USSSA Florida Pride
The USSSA Florida Pride is a professional franchise in the National Pro Fastpitch League that is owned and operated by USSSA. The amateur organization of USSSA has multi-sport coverage and encompasses teams and players from the United States and abroad.
About Chicago Bandits
Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch players to further their careers at a professional level, and the roster has included such names as Jennie Finch, Stacy May-Johnson and Monica Abbott. The two-time NPF Champions play at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the only stadium in the country built for a women’s professional team. The 2014 season will be the Bandits 10th season in the NPF.
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.