Pride Comeback Falls Short as Bandits Win Make-up Game 7-5

Kristyn Sandberg was 2-4 in the game with a RBI

ROSEMONT, Ill.-August 3rd, 2014 –The USSSA Florida Pride scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as the Chicago Bandits beat the Pride 7-5 at The Ballpark at Rosemont in Rosemont, IL. Game two of Sunday’s doubleheader served as the make-up game from the Kissimmee series when the Pride and Bandits were rained out.

With the Pride batting as the home team due to the makeup game, they once again took an early 1-0 lead off a Madison Shipman single that scored pinch runner Breja’e Washington. The Bandits capitalized on a Pride error and a couple hits to take a 3-1 lead in the second. With the bases loaded, Megan Wiggins singled to score two while Emily Allard followed that up with an RBI single of her own to put the Bandits up by two.

The Pride threatened in their half of the second, loading the bases with no outs, but the Bandits defense was able to shut them down with no damage done.

Brittany Cervantes’ second home run of the day in the third, a two run shot to center scored pinch runner Natalie Hernandez, extended the Bandits lead to 5-1.

Keilani Ricketts entered the circle in to start the fourth for the Pride to relive starter Jordan Taylor while the Bandits made a pitching change of their own to start the fifth, bringing Kirsten Verdun into the circle.

The Pride cut the lead to three runs, as a Bandits error allowed Alexa Peterson to cross home plate. Peterson had reached on a walk earlier in the inning. Verdun struck out Sandberg to end the inning with no further damage.

Olivia Galati entered the circle for the Pride in the sixth. Wiggins led off the sixth with a double and later scored on a wild pitch to put the Bandits up 6-2. In the top of the seventh, three straight hits by Wiggins, Allard and Tammy Williams gave the Bandits their seventh run in as many innings as Wiggins crossed home off Williams’ RBI single.

The Pride weren’t going to go down quietly as they loaded the bases against Verdun, bringing Sara Moulton into the circle to try and finish out the game. Two straight walks and a single by Sandberg cut the Bandits lead to just two runs before Estela Pinon stepped in to pitch for her second appearance of the day.

Pinon got DiSalvatore and Willis to pop up as the Pride found themselves down to their final out. A Jessica Shults strikeout secured the 7-5 victory for the Bandits. Taylor (3-4) suffered the loss allowing five runs on seven hits in three innings pitched. Renfroe (3-4) picked up the win in her four inning outing that saw her give up one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Pinon recorded the save in her one inning of work.