TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Nine different players scored for USSSA on Monday night as the Pride dominated the Chicago Bandits (6-3) by a score of 11-1 in game two of the series at JoAnne Graf Field. The Pride won their fourth game in a row and improved to 4-1 on the year.
Chicago used a trio of singles in the first inning, including an RBI base hit up the middle by Sahvanna Jaquish, to jump out to an early 1-0 lead.
Second-year player Sierra Romero quickly put the Pride in front with a first-inning grand slam, driving in Megan Wiggins, Shelby Pendley and Kelly Kretschman, who reached on a pair of walks and an infield single, respectively.
The Pride added to their lead in the second inning on a bases loaded walk to Kretschman, as well as scoring two runs on the same play with a wild pitch from Chicago’s Shelby Turnier followed by a throwing error by Jaquish for a 7-1 lead.
Hallie Wilson’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning scored rookie Mandie Perez, while a fifth-single by Chelsea Goodacre brought in two runs, aided by another Bandits error. An RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth by GiOnna DiSalvatore closed out the scoring for the 11-1 victory.
Overall, seven different players recorded a hit as 18 different players saw action in Tuesday night’s win, including five rookies.
USSSA’s Kelsey Nunley (2-0) settled in after allowing the run in the first and surrendered just three hits over her final 4.2 innings of work. She gave up just two walks and recorded four strikeouts in the win. Angel Bunner pitched the final 2.0 innings for the Pride, giving up two hits and a walk, while striking out one.
Chicago’s Turnier earned the loss after giving up seven runs, six earned on a four hits over 3.0 innings. She allowed four walks and posted three strikeouts. Ellen Sara Roberts pitched 1.1 innings of relief, surrendering four runs on four hits with a walk, while Breanna Wonderly closed the game with 1.2 scoreless innings from the circle, allowing zero hits, one walk and a strikeout.
USSSA’s Romero was named the “LOCK IT UP” Player of the Game, presented by Vaultz.
The series between the Pride and the Bandits will wrap up on Tuesday, June 13 at 7:05 p.m. at JoAnne Graf Field. The game will be streamed live on NPF-TV.com and tickets will be available at the stadium box office.
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.