USSSA Florida Pride and Akron Racers Resume One Game, Suspend Another

Caitlin Lowe and Jessica Mendoza

Orlando, Fla. – Before beginning its final home series of the 2010 season, the USSSA Florida Pride had to complete a game against the Akron Racers, suspended on July 18th when rain forced the game the game to end. With one out in the top if the fifth, the Pride leading 2-0, and Jessica Mendoza at the plate with a 1-0 count against her, the game resumed.

The Pride grew their lead to three immediately, when a throwing error on an attempted steal from Megan Willis, in for Amber Flores, allowed Mendoza to score. A ground-out to third from Charlotte Morgan retired the side.

A double from Willis in the top of the seventh pushed the Pride to a four run lead, which the team held for the remainder of the game, giving the Pride the first victory of the evening.

The Pride began the scheduled series with a bang as Kelly Kretschman laced a two-run home-run past the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning.

In the bottom of the second, the game was suspended due to surrounding thunderstorms and will be resumed tomorrow at 5:05 pm prior to the regularly scheduled contest.

The USSSA Florida Pride joined the NPF as a franchise Team in November of 2009, operated by Florida Pride LLC. USSSA managed the Pride Team during 2009, culminating their inaugural season with a second place finish in the Championship Series. USSSA Florida Pride is sponsored by USSSA, the world’s largest amateur sports association, and is headquartered in Kissimmee, Florida.

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 News!