Viera, FL (August 2, 2017) – As the clouds cleared up over the Space Coast Stadium, the USSSA Pride (31-8) stormed past the Texas Charge (20-23) with a slug-fest on Wednesday night, broadening its winning streak to six. After suffering an early deficit, the Pride rallied back and turned the game around in overpowering fashion, taking the lead and staying ahead for the remainder of the game.
Bringing the heat to the Pride batting box, Shelby Pendley vindicated her throne upon the 2017 home run leaderboard, after blasting two back-to-back bombs during the home outing. Pendley currently holds a batting average of .287 with 27 RBI and a slugging percentage of .648. After tonight, the 2016 All-NPF Team shortstop counts 31 hits, 12 of which are home runs and three that are doubles. Thanks to her .395 on base percentage, the 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year takes the ninth spot in the NPF leaderboard, while ranking second for slugging percentage behind fellow teammate Kelly Kretschman (.813).
In the circle, Angel Bunner (6-1) led the USSSA defense as she clawed another win under her belt and increasedg her total strikeouts to 26 in 44.1 innings pitched. At the current time, Bunner holds a 1.21 ERA, the fourth best among the NPF leaderboard. Entering in the top of the fifth, Jolene Henderson (6-2) ceased the Texas offense, clutching two strikeouts in two innings pitched.
Taking the mound as a closer, 2017 First- Overall Draft Pick, Jessica Burroughs seized the win for USSSA. The Pride pitching staff records an overall ERA of 1.78 over 271.1 innings of pitching, and accumulates an outstanding 229 strikeouts on 1,105 batters faced.
The game started with the Texas Charge pressuring the Pride offense, quickly placing runners on base to reach the scoreboard first and put USSSA at 1-0 deficit.
However, the Pride roared back in the bottom of the first, when Pendley went yard to clear the bases and put the Pride ahead, 3-1. Enduring her batting rage, Pendley brought the Pride to distance once again, delivering a two-run shot behind right field in the bottom of the third to throttle past the Charge, 5-1.
Entering the bottom of the fourth with a four-run lead, centerfielder Megan Wiggins snatched one more run on her fourth seasonal home run to increase the Pride stretch, 6-1.
As fifth and sixth went by with an unaffected score, Burroughs and the USSSA defense quickly retired the Charge bats with a quick 1-2-3 frame and sealing the tenth home win, 6-1.
The Pride will step back on the field on Friday evening against the Scrap Yard Dawgs for the first game of the three-day series. Teams will line up at 7:05 p.m. ET.
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Quick Facts
Attendance: 235
Duration: 1 hr 43 min
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.
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.
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