Conroe, TX – June 16, 2017- For the second consecutive night, the Scrap Yard Dawgs succumbed to tough pitching. This time it was the USSSA Pride’s Jolene Henderson who frustrated the Dawgs offense, allowing one of two Dawgs hits en route to a 7-0 win at the Scrap Yard in The Woodlands.
The middle of the order for the Pride was brutal to Dawgs pitching, accounting for seven of the Pride’s 13 hits. The Pride put the pressure on the Dawgs right away in the top of the second inning and built a 3-0 lead. Shelby Pendley doubled to the gap in left center to start the rally for the Pride. A bunt single by Hallie Wilson moved Pendley over to third for Chelsea Goodacre. The University of Arizona product delivered a single to right to score Pendley.
But the Pride wasn’t done. After Gionna DiSavatore drew the walk off Morgan Melloh, Megan Wiggins singled to right to score Wilson and Goodacre to extend the Pride’s lead to 3-0. Wiggins had a solid night at the plate – going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
The offense for the Pride didn’t let up in the top of the third inning. It was Pendley again who got things rolling with a base wrap to left center. Wilson then ripped a double to the gap to score Pendley. The RBI was Wilson’s second of the season. Andrea Duran used a base hit to score Wilson to help the Pride take a 5-0 lead.
Henderson had a perfect game going through three and two-thirds, but Nerissa Myers broke things up with a perfect bunt down the first base line for the single. The Dawgs couldn’t convert, though as Henderson got Taylor Edwards to fly out to center to end the inning.
Henderson – the Cal Berkeley product – allowed just the one hit in four and one-third shutout innings. Henderson walked just two and struck out five for her first win of the 2017 season.
The Dawgs got to Henderson just a bit in the bottom of the fifth inning with Alisa Goler and Amanda Fama drawing walks. Brittany Cervantes also drew a walk off Angel Bunner, who entered the game in relief of Henderson. With the bases loaded, Jade Rhodes grounded out to third to end the inning and the Dawgs threat.
Bunner tossed two and two-thirds in relief of Henderson and allowed just a Meagan May-Whitley single in the bottom of the seventh. In three and two-thirds an inning of work, the lefty struck out two and walked three.
The Pride pushed across a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning with Kirsti Merritt and Kelly Kretschman RBIs. Kretschman had a perfect day at the plate with three hits.
Melloh took the loss the Scrap Yard Dawgs, allowing five runs on eight hits in two and two-thirds. She walked three and struck out two.
The two teams square off again at the Scrap Yard on Saturday for the final game of the series with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
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 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF):
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Akron Racers, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Scrap Yard Dawgs, Texas Charge and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2017 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
About USSSA:
USSSA is headquartered in Osceola County, Florida. USSSA is the World’s Largest Multi-sport Athletic Organization. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 3.7 million participants, competing in 13 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information on USSSA and to register your team visit USSSA.com. Also be sure to visit USSSAToday.com for the latest USSSA.
