Andrea Duran earned Player of the Game Photo by Kit Mohr
Viera, FL – June 9, 2017 – With an early rally and a fiery frame in the third, the USSSA Pride (1-1) throttled past the Akron Racers, taking home Game 2 of the series, 6-4.
The Pride lineup raged in the box, with Shelby Pendley and Sierra Romero leading the batting frenzy clutching one home run apiece. Former UCLA Bruin Andrea Duran batted in the turn-around run of the game with a double to deep left field.
Kelsey Nunley (1-0) earned in the circle her first seasonal W, striking out two and allowing four hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Coming in as closer, Jordan Taylor sealed the deal for USSSA spotlessly, striking out four to mark her first seasonal save.
After a scoreless first inning for both dugouts, the Racers broke through the score in the second where Sam Fischer blazed a solo-homer to put Akron ahead, 1-0.
USSSA did not take long to roar back, as catcher Chelsea Goodacre jump-started the Pride rally, reaching first on a perfectly placed bunt. Following closely behind Goodcare, teammate Sierra Romero continued the productive offensive stretch with a single to the left side. Pushing in the tying run, veteran Andrea Duran cracked a double to the left fence to put the score 3-3.
The Pride kept their spark burning in the third when Olympian Kelly Kretschman brought USSSA on base once more, shooting a double to the left field line. Chamberlain was then granted first on a hit-by-pitch and Sooners alumnus Pendly cleaned-up the bases blasting a three run bomb to right center.
Entering the fourth with a three-run gap, Akron reduced the stretch by one, as Sami Fagan drove a double to right center and rookie Nicole Shroeder homered to left field to batt in her fellow teammate.
As the fifth went by blank on both sidelines, USSSA took over the scoreboard once more in the bottom of the sixth, with Romero crashing a two-run dinger to center and Hallie Wilson pushing home the sixth run for the Pride.
In the seventh, the Racers fought back placing one more on the board with a solo shot by Shellie Robinson. However, Taylor quickly regained control of the game and shut down the Akron lineup to fasten the Pride win, 6-4.
USSSA returns to Space Coast Stadium tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. ET to close out the series opener against the Racers.
For more information please visit USSSAPride.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 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Akron Racers, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Chicago Bandits, Scrap Yard Dawgs, Texas Charge and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2017 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada and China among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
About USSSA:
USSSA is 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.
– See more at: http://usssapride.com/usssa-pride-fall-to-akron-in-home-opener/#sthash.xq4HuHjX.dpuf
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