McKinney, TX – June 9, 2015– It was the pitching duel Charge fans and Pride fans were looking forward to with great anticipation. In the mound for game 4 we had veteran and 2-time NPF Pitcher of the Year, Cat Osterman facing 2015 NCAA Player of the Year and rookie Lauren Haeger in her NPF debut Tuesday night.
The expected pitcher’s duel materialized in a tight game through six innings. Eventually, Osterman’s dominance proved to be the difference in a 4-1 win for the reigning NPF Champs, adding another win to their 4-0 record on the 2015 NPF season.
Haeger got off to a good start fanning Shelby Pendley and coaxing a pop out from Kelly Kretschman. Madison Shipman rolled one to left for a single. Then Andrea Duran hit a low 1-2 pitch into the lake beyond the left centerfield fence, staking the Pride to a 2-0 lead. GiOnna DiSalvatore followed with a single, but Brigette Del Ponte flied out to right field to end the frame.
Osterman’s start was typical, striking out the side in both the first and second innings. She kept a Charge team that started six rookies completely under control through four innings.
In the fifth, the Charge fought back. Mikey Kenney took a leadoff walk and advanced on a Angie Quiocho sacrifice bunt. Eri Yamada, in her first Charge at bat, was Osterman’s 11th strikeout. Renada Davis then singled through the right side to bring Kenney home cutting the Pride lead in half, 2-1. Davis advanced to second on the throw, but Osterman put out the fire and got Kaitlyn Richardson to pop out to left field.
Neither offense could get anything going in the sixth. In the seventh though the Pride added two insurance runs. Pendley beat out a bunt, Kretschman doubled over the head of Quiocho in left, bringing Pendley all the way home from first. A throwing error on the relay home, moved Kretschman to third. Duran’s fly ball to left was plenty deep enough for Kretschman to tag and come home pushing the Pride lead to three. Duran added 3 RBI’s on the night and Kelly Kretschman continues to add to her offensive attack with 10 total hits on the season with 14 at bats.
The Charge would threaten in the seventh, but left two stranded. Osterman, struck out 11, allowing just three hits in 7 innings, lowering her early season ERA to 1.62.
Your USSSA Pride will have a break on Wednesday as they travel to Kansas City, Missouri where they will face the Charge again on Thursday at Community America Ballpark with the first pitch set for 8:35 p.m. ET. Make sure to catch live stats at www.dallascharge.com.
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 NPF:
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. 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 since 2002.
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.