Kissimmee, FL – July 27, 2015 – After a quick two weeks and 13 games at ESPN Wide World of Sports, the USSSA Pride is headed back on the road. For the final time during regular season play, the Pride and Chicago Bandits will see each other for a four game set from Monday July 27th through Thursday July 30th. Monday and Tuesday’s games will be played at The Ballpark at Rosemont in Rosemont, Illinois and will be aired on CBS Sports Network! The following two games on Wednesday and Thursday will be played at EastSide Centre, in Peoria, Illinois – one of the most premier athletic facilities in the Midwest. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00pm (ET) all four nights.
The Pride and Bandits have been battling for the league’s first place since the two saw each other for a four game set at Champion Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida two weeks ago. The Pride won that series 3-1 and currently sit in first place. After just previously winning a five game set with the Akron Racers 3-2, the Pride head to Illinois with a 28-11 season record. Oppositely, the Chicago Bandits, coming off a three game set with the Dallas Charge, head to Illinois 24-11.
For tickets to the series, go to http://dev.usssapride.com/2015-schedule/ or purchase tickets at the box-office of either location. The Ballpark at Rosemont located at – 27 Jennie Finch Way, Rosemont, IL 60018 and EastSide Centre located at – 1 Eastside Dr, East Peoria, IL 61611.
To find CBS Sports network, use the CHANNEL FINDER
Follow the Pride all season long on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all game or team updates.
Tickets for the 2015 NPF Championship Series are also on sale now at profastpitch.com! From August 14th-18th witness the best softball players in the world playing at the most elite level at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.
Pride Players to Watch:
Andrea Duran – leaves the Pride’s home stand tied for second in the league (to Pride’s Megan Wiggins) with 19 RBI’s. She smacked a grand slam and a 2 HR’s in back to back games at Champion Stadium.
Hallie Wilson – had an outstanding NPF career debut against the Akron Racers on Friday night (July 24) Her diving catch in right field was SportsCenter’s #1 play. Additionally, she followed up with a couple RBI’s during the remainder of play at Champion Stadium.
Cat Osterman – (11,2) racked up a season-best 14 strikeouts en route to picking up her NPF-leading 11th victory of the season Thursday night against the Akron Racers. Osterman scattered five hits over seven innings squandering just the one run in the first inning. She currently leads the league with 143 strikeouts.
Bandits Players to Watch:
Amber Patton – currently leads the league with a .379 batting average. She has 12 RBI’s, 5 doubles, and 2 triples. Her 20 runs scored, and 39 hits are ranked first on the team.
Brittany Cervantes – currently has the teams second highest batting average at .368. Her .691 SLG%, .527 OBP, 18 RBI’s, and 6 HR’s are all team leading.
Monica Abbott (9-1) – is ranked second (to Pride’s Jordan Taylor) in league pitching with a .47 ERA and second in the league (to Pride’s Cat Osterman) with 103 strikeouts.
Fun Facts:
- Pride head coach Mike Davenport is a Peoria, IL native. He grew up in the small town in central Illinois where he attended Richwoods High School.
- Both NPF veteran pitchers, Cat Osterman (Pride) and Monica Abbott (Bandits), still have yet to throw against each other this season. We’re still waiting for the ultimate match-up.
- The Pride have won 5 out of 8 games played against the Chicago Bandits this season – Four of which have been a difference of only 1 run.
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:
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.