Kissimmee, FL– July 22, 2016- The USSSA Pride improved to 22-10 on the season with the 10-7 win over the Rebellion Friday night. Combined, the Rebellion and the Pride totaled 26 hits and 17 runs at the end of the contest.
The scoring started in the first following a Kelly Kretschman sacrifice fly that was deep enough to score Wiggins who led off the inning with her second triple of the season to put the Pride up 1-0.
The Rebellion tied the ballgame at one in the top of the third with a Stephens RBI single to right that scored Gomez who got on base earlier in the inning with a single up the middle.
The Rebellion took the lead in the top of the fourth following two back-to-back singles by Ogle and Senas. With one out, Arion gave the Rebellion a 2-1 lead following an RBI single she shot out to left. Brittany Gomez then doubled to right center to bring in two more for the Rebellion and a 4-1 lead. Cordes continued the fourth inning rally with a two-run home run that put the Rebellion up 6-1. Stephens added the sixth hit of the inning with a double to left. Stephens was brought in by Goler who added her own double to give the Rebellion a 7-1 lead to end the 4th before Jordan Taylor came in for Hannah Rogers to close out the 4th.
The Pride responded with a lead off double by Lauren Chamberlain in the bottom of the fourth. DiSalvatore put the ball in play and was thrown out at first for the first out but Lauren Chamberlain advanced to third on the play. Goodacre then stepped up to the plate and scored Lauren with a sacrifice fly out to left for a 7-2 score.
The Pride battled back once again in the bottom of the fifth with a lead off bunt by Kelly Kretschman who went 1-for-2 on the night with 2 RBI. Pendley grounded out to second but placed Kretschman in scoring position for Hallie Wilson who shot one out to left center to score Kretschman and get the Pride within four, 7-3.
The Pride continued their hitting streak in the bottom of the 6th where they capitalized and secured the win. It all started with a lead-off single by Chelsea Goodacre who went 3-for-3 on the night with 3 RBI. Sierra Romero earned herself a base following a hit by pitch. Courtney Ceo then loaded the bases with a hard hit single to short. With one out, Kretschman scored the first run of the inning, drawing the walk with bases loaded to make it a 7-4 ballgame. Shelby Pendley then tied the ballgame at 7 hitting a hard liner through the right side for 3 RBI. It was GiOnna DiSalvatore who would give the Pride a one run lead with a two-out double down the right field line, 8-7. Lauren got her second hit of the night, going 2-for-4, with a single to center to place runners on the corners for Goodacre who doubled to right center to score DiSalvatore and pinch-runner Kirsti Merritt for a 10-7 Pride lead.
Jordan Taylor closed it out for the Pride striking out six batters in 3.1 innings pitched coming in as relief for starting pitcher Hannah Rogers in the fourth.
The Pride face the Akron Racers tomorrow night right here at ESPN Wide World of Sports, with first pitch set for 7PM (ET).
Final Score
USSSA Pride : 10
PA Rebellion: 7
Powerhandz Player of the Game
Lauren Chamberlain
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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