Kissimmee, FL—June 20, 2016—The USSSA Pride added one to the win column as they defeated the PA Rebellion tonight 6-0. Pitcher Kelsey Nunley threw a two-hit shutout to carry her team to a victory.
The Pride stole five bases tonight, starting in the first inning when Megan Wiggins swiped second base after collecting the first hit of the game. Kelly Kretschman (2-2) stole two bases, and Kirsti Merritt and Shelby Pendley each stole one.
All six runs for the Pride tonight came with two outs. The first run came in the second inning off a Hallie Wilson single to left field that scored Merritt. Another run came in the fourth. With the score at 2-0, Kretschman hit a ground ball to first base that looked like a routine out. However, the second baseman did not make it to the bag in time to cover before Kretschman reached, and she was safe, scoring a run.
The Pride had a relatively big seventh inning. The score at 3-0, they were looking to add a couple insurance runs for protection. It looked like the inning would end when Sierra Romero hit a line drive to right field. The right fielder dropped the ball, and all runners advanced to load the bases. The Pride accomplished their goal, scoring three runs on four hits.
Nunley, the POWERHANDZ Player of the Game, was the winning pitcher. She allowed no runs on two hits, throwing four strikeouts and just one walk. When asked about her mindset as a first-year professional pitcher, she said, “I’m just trusting myself and trusting that I’m good enough to be here, and trusting that my team is going to make the plays and have my back.”
The Pride return to action tomorrow against the Rebellion at 7:00 PM (ET)
Final Score:
USSSA Pride: 6
PA Rebellion: 0
Player of the Game
Kelsey Nunley
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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 USSSA: The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), 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.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF): National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The 2016 NPF season will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Coverage includes the NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thur., April 14, followed by 23 regular-season games, a Championship Series Preview Special and the 2016 NPF Championship Series. The NPF recently announced that the Scrap Yard Dawgs, located in The Woodlands, Texas, will join the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Dallas Charge, Pennsylvania Rebellion and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2016 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand, representing the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball