Conroe, TX (July 2, 2017) – After two nights of solid offense in the series pitting the Scrap Yard Dawgs against the USSSA Pride, pitching reigned supreme on Sunday in Conroe. It took nine innings, but the Pride took the final game of the three-game series with the Dawgs, 3-1.
In the top of the ninth inning, Shelby Pendley drew a two-out walk to give the Pride offense some life. Chelsea Goodacre then launched a ball over the left field wall for the two-run home run. The veteran University of Arizona product’s first and only hit of the night gave her RBIs 11 and 12 on the year.
Pride closer Jordan Taylor faced three batters and got three Dawg ground outs to end the game in the bottom of the ninth. The save was Taylor’s fifth of 2017. Keilani Ricketts got the win in the circle for the Pride, allowing one run on three hits and striking out six in 5.1 innings of relief. Jessica Burroughs, who started the game for the Pride, allowed one hit in 2.1 innings of work.
Monica Abbott struck out 16 in the loss for the Dawgs. The 16 strikeouts upped her Ks on the season to a league-leading 89, in the longest game of the season for the Dawgs. The left-handed hurler allowed seven hits and walked eight.
It was the Pride who struck first, pushing across a run in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, GiOnna DiSavatore ripped a double off the wall in left center field. After Andrea Duran drew the walk, Kelly Kretschman came through with a pinch-hit RBI single for the first run of the game. The Indiana Harbor, Fla. native has driven in 12 runs in the 2017 season.
The Dawgs tied it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning with one swing of the bat. Meagan May-Whitley unleashed a bomb over the wall in left field for her first home run of the season. The former Texas A & M Aggie is hitting .370 on the year – the solo blast was her first hit in the series with the Pride.
The Pride had a huge chance to take the lead in the top of the sixth – Kirsti Merritt poked a ball into right center for the base hit to start the inning and then took second base for her ninth stolen bag of the year. Abbott got DiSalvatore to fly out and was able to sit Courtney Ceo down with a strikeout. After walking Kretschman and with two runners on base, Abbott was able to win the battle with Megan Wiggins for strikeout number 12 to end the inning and the threat. The Pride left 12 runners on base in the game.
It was the Dawgs with the shot to grab the win in the bottom of the seventh. Christian Stokes drew the one-out walk off Ricketts. After a pop-out by pinch-hitter Brianna Cherry for the second out of the inning, Allexis Bennett guided a ball straight up the gut for the hit – advancing Stokes to second base. A ground ball to third base ended the inning for the Dawgs, who left seven runners stranded in the game. Bennett had two of the Dawgs four hits on the night. Myers also had a hit.
On Tuesday, the two teams square off once again, this time in Florida for a pair of games. First pitch is set for 7:05p.m. CDT.
Quick Facts
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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.
