Kissimmee, FL- July 29, 2016-The USSSA Florida Pride took the series sweep with another set of back-to-back wins against the Charge on Friday night. Game one ended with a final score of 3-0, while game two was decided by a score of 5-2. With the wins the Pride improved to 29-10 on the season. The Pride offense totaled five home runs in two games. Two of those homers belonged to Lauren Chamberlain who went 3-for-6 on the night with 3 RBI.
A scoreless ballgame until the 6th the Pride scored three runs on three hits to shut out the Charge in game one. Lauren led off the sixth with a leadoff triple. Sierra Romero then hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Chamberlain for a 1-0 lead. Lauren Sweet and Kirsti Meritt added to the lead with back-to-back solo shots that extended the Pride lead to 3-0.
Game one starter Keilani Ricketts gave up three hits in 20 batters faced while striking out five in 5.1 innings pitched. Reliever Jordan Taylor for the final innings and in 6 batters faced struck out two.
In the bottom half of Friday’s double-header the Pride struck first with an early 1-0 lead. Lauren Chamberlain started things off in the top of the second with a lead off solo home run in her first at-bat of game two.
In her second at-bat Lauren Chamberlain shot her second home run of the night to bring in two following a two-out walk by Shelby Pendley in the previous at-bat. Chelsea Goodacre then shot her own jack to put the Pride up 4-0.
The Charge chipped away at the Pride lead in the bottom of the third following a single and a walk that placed two runners on for Kylee Lahners who singled to left to score the first run for the Charge, 4-1.
In the bottom of the fourth Hallie Wilson started things off with a one out single. Wilson then advanced to second on the following bunt play by Courtney Ceo. Megan Wiggins then reached on a fielding error by the Charge that scored Hallie Wilson on the play for a 5-1 score.
Kaitlyn Richardson added her own solo shot in the bottom of the fifth that brought the Charge within three for a 5-2 ballgame but it wasn’t enough and the Charge could not come back to win it.
Starting pitcher Chelsea Thomas tossed six innings and earned the win for the Pride. Relief Kelsey Nunley came in for Thomas in the bottom of the sixth with two outs and ended the sixth with a strikeout. Of four total batters faced, Nunley struck out all four to end the ballgame.
Catch the USSSA Pride next at Florida State University where they will host the Scrap Yard Dawgs in a four game series at JoAnne Graf Field. Sunday night, the Pride host a double header set to start at 5:30PM (ET). Games three and four will be on Monday and Tuesday night and will be aired live on CBS Sports Network at 7:00 PM (ET). Tickets are available for purchase at the gate.
Final Score
Game One
USSSA Pride: 3
Dallas Charge: 0
Game Two
USSSA Pride: 5
Dallas Charge: 2
Boxscore G2
Powerhandz Player of the Game
Game one: Lauren Chamberlain
Game two: Lauren Chamberlain
Follow Your Pride!
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 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.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF): National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The 2016 NPF season will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Coverage includes the NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thur., April 14, followed by 23 regular-season games, a Championship Series Preview Special and the 2016 NPF Championship Series. The NPF recently announced that the Scrap Yard Dawgs, located in The Woodlands, Texas, will join the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Dallas Charge, Pennsylvania Rebellion and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2016 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand, representing the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball