Kissimmee, FL– July 25- After a two-hour rain delay, the USSSA Pride (28-10) took the first game of Saturday’s double dip with the Akron Racers 8-2 at Champion Stadium.
The Racers’ Nerissa Myers started the scoring in the first inning with her sixth home run of the season, a solo shot, to give Akron the 1-0 lead. The Pride’s Kelly Kretschman tied the game in the bottom of the first with a solo blast of her own.
The Pride sent ten batters to the plate in the second inning, scoring four times on four hits. Hallie Wilson led off the inning with a single and GiOnna Disalvatore followed with a double to give USSSA two runners in scoring position. After Shelby Pendley walked to load the bases, Megan Willis cleared them with one swing, blasting a grand slam over the center field fence to put the Pride up 5-1.
The Pride added another insurance run in the third frame as Natasha Watley doubled home Shelby Pendley with a ball off of the base of the right field fence, pushing the score to 6-1.
USSSA scored two more in the fifth with back-to-back RBI singles by Kretschman and Wiggins, bringing the tally to 8-1.
The Racers got a run back on an RBI single by Kelley Montalvo sixth but Game One belonged to the Pride with a final score of 8-2.
Chelsea Thomas (W, 6-3) earned the win in game one after holding the Racers to a pair of runs on five hits. Hannah Rogers tossed the final 1.1 innings in relief, surrendering just one hit.
Akron’s Rachele Fico (L, 2-3) was charged with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in 1.2 innings in the circle. Hannah Campbell pitched the final 4.1 frames, allowing a trio of runs on nine hits.
The Pride dropped the second game of the double header with the Akron Racers 5-1.
In the first inning Andrea Duran knocked in the first run of the game with a single to left, scoring Natasha Watley from second.
After a Nerissa Myers single, Briana Hamilton vaulted the Racers into the lead, in the third inning 2-1, with her third home run of the season. Ayumi Karino lifted another two-run home run an inning later to increase the Racer lead to 4-1. Shellie Robinson knocked in the fifth Akron run of the game later in the frame with a double to left.
Akron’s Lisa Norris (W, 5-5) went seven strong innings in the circle, scattering three hits leading to one run over seven innings.
Andi Williamson (L, 0-1) started in the circle for the Pride surrendered five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. Hannah Rogers finished up up the final 3.1 innings, holding Akron to just one hit.
The Pride will be back in action Monday, July 27, in Rosemont, Ill. when they will face the Chicago Bandits in the first of a four game series.
Final Score: Game 1: Pride: 8 Racers: 2 Game 2: Pride: 5 Racers: 1
Records: Pride: (28-11) Racers: (17-19)
Game 1 Boxscore Game 2 Boxscore
For all information about the USSSA Pride and the 2015 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) season, visit the team website www.dev.usssapride.com and follow the Pride all season long on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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 the 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.