2015 Season
Pride edge Charge 4-3
Shelby Pendley hits her 2nd homerun in the 2nd game of her NPF career. Photo courtesy of Jade Hewitt
McKinney, TX– Monday, June 8, 2015 – The Pride took the lead early and managed to hold off the Dallas Charge to capture a 4-3 win in game three of the four game set out at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch.
The Pride took advantage of a rocky start in the circle by the Charge’s Sarah Purvis. Purvis, who walked two, and allowed six hits and 4 earned runs lasted just one and two-third innings, before being relieved by Australian National Vanessa Stokes. Stokes held the Pride to five and a third scoreless innings. Chelsea Thomas came in to relieve Hannah Rogers who got the start for the Pride. Jordan Taylor would come in to relieve Thomas and close out the game in the 7th inning, rendering the Charge scoreless.
Shelby Pendley started the game with a full count solo home run to centerfield. Kelly Kretschman singled followed by a Madison Shipman fly out to Angie “Q” Quiocho in left. Kretschman stole second and Andrea Duran drove her in with a single to left staking the Pride to a 2-0 lead. Two Pride popups would bring the Charge to the plate.
Renada Davis drew a lead-off walk, then advanced to second on Ashley Burkhardt’s sacrifice bunt. Pendley, covering first on the play, was ruled off the base and Burkhardt was safe. Danielle Henderson popped out to center, Nicole Morgan walked to load the bases, and Richardson singled to score Davis. Indecision at third led to Ashley Burkhardt getting caught in a rundown between third and home causing the second out. A Nadia Taylor pop fly would end the inning.
The Pride came out in the second inning looking to respond. Chelsea Goodacre hit a lead-off single to right field, but a pair of outs were to follow. Pendley and Kretschman would walk to load the bases and Shipman hit a ball just out of Henderson’s reach at third base to score another run. Duran followed with an infield RBI single to increase the Pride lead 4-1 and end the night for Purvis. The fearless Stokes induced a dribbler back to the circle from the NCAA All-Time home run leader Lauren Chamberlain to end the threat.
The Charge bats came to battle in the third. Henderson walked and Nicole Morgan singled to left. Richardson came through hitting an RBI double into left center scoring Henderson. A throwing error by Madison Shipman allowed Morgan to come home, pulling the Charge within one, 4-3. A groundout, a lineout and popup would end the inning and the scoring for the remainder of the game.
Both teams would threaten in the final four innings, but neither team could cash in.
Pendley finished the game 2-3 with two runs and a RBI which came via her first inning homerun.
The fourth and final game of the series in McKinney will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch. If you are unable to make it out to the ball field, be sure to tune in to CBS Sports Network, listen online at BGC Sports.com or catch live stats at www.dallascharge.com.
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.