Kissimmee, FL- July 31, 2016- The USSSA Florida Pride took both games Sunday night to kick off the four-game series against the Scrap Yard Dawgs in Tallahassee. Their third consecutive double header of this past week, the Pride dominated all six games to come to their 31st win of the season. Game one ended with a final score of 11-2, while game two was decided by a score of 6-1.
It was also the first professional start of rookie Haylie McCleney who went 4-for-6 in her Pro Fastpitch debut. Shelby Pendley owned the night going 5-for-6 and hitting two home runs with 6 RBI.
In game one, things looked up early for Scrap Yard with two outs in the first. Myers kept the inning alive drawing a two-out walk that brought Shipman up to the plate. Former Pride short-stop Madison Shipman then took advantage of a pitch she sent yard for an early 2-0 Scrap Yard lead.
The Pride fought back hard and quickly in the bottom of the first with five runs of their own. The first run of the ballgame for the Pride was scored on a wild pitch. Shelby Pendley then came in with a single through the left side to tie the ballgame at 2. Hallie Wilson then added her own single to left that would score Chamberlain, who singled in the previous at-bat, and Pendley for a 4-2 Pride lead. Kelsey Stewart earned one more for the Pride with a sacrifice fly out to right that would score Wilson for a 5-2 lead.
In the second, Shelby Pendley homered with Wiggins and Kretschman on base to extend the Pride lead to 8-2.
In the third, Wiggins led it off with a triple to be scored by Kirsti Merritt who doubled to right center for an 9-2 lead. Chamberlain then earned her own RBI grounding out to 2nd to score Merritt for the seven run lead, 10-2.
In the fourth, Ceo singled up the middle to score McCleney as the eleventh and final run of game one for a 11-2 ballgame.
Game one starter Jolene Henderson gave up three hits in 19 batters faced while striking out seven in 5 innings pitched. Reliever Hannah Rogers tossed 2 innings and shut it down the final six batters to secure the Pride win.
In game two of Sunday’s double-header the Pride struck early first with a 2-0 lead. Shelby Pendley led the scoring off with a two-run shot that scored Megan Wiggins who led off the bottom of the first with a hard hit infield single.
Three back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the third then added two more runs for a 4-0 Pride lead. Shelby led off the inning, followed by Chelsea Goodacre who scored Pendley for a 3-0 lead with her own double in the third. Haylie McCleney then added the third double of the inning and her first professional RBI to score Goodacre to give the Pride a 4-0 lead.
Vonk then led off the Dawg comeback in the top of the fifth with a two-out triple. Breja’e Washington came in and executed a two out double over the head of Merritt to score Vonk on the play and put the Dawgs within three, 4-1.
The Pride added a few more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. This time, Hallie Wilson led off the inning with a double to left center. Haylie McCleney then added her own single to put runners on the corners for Kelsey Stewart. Stewart followed suit with a single up the middle that scored Wilson for a 5-1 lead. Lauren Sweet then came in with a sacrifice fly deep enough to score McCleney for the 6-1 lead.
Starting pitcher Kelsey Nunley tossed five innings and struck out six of 21 batters faced for the win. Relief and closer Jordan Taylor came in for Nunley in the 6th and struck out 3 batters of 7 faced to secure the Pride win.
The USSSA Pride continue the FSU series against the Scrap Yard Dawgs tomorrow night. Monday night’s games 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: 11
Dallas Charge: 2
Game Two
USSSA Pride: 6
Dallas Charge: 1
Powerhandz Player of the Game
Game one: Jolene Henderson
Game two: Shelby Henderson
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
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