Preview of USSSA Pride and Dallas Charge in Texas

Cat Osterman returns to Texas to play her final NPF regular game before her retirement following the 2015 NPF season. Photo by Kit Mohr

Kissimmee, FL– We are closing in on the end of the 2015 NPF season with only five games left to be played in the regular season. The Pride will close out the season against the Dallas Charge in two separate series. The first series against the Charge begins tonight, August 3^rd at 8:00 PM (ET) on CBS Sports Network. It is a two game series that will be held in Sugarland, Texas at Constellation Field and will conclude tomorrow night (August 4^th).

The Pride will also battle the Dallas Charge; in what will be the last regular season series for the 2015 season, August 6^th and 7^th in San Antonio, Texas at St. Mary’s University. This series will host the last double header of the season and the final game for the 2015 NPF regular season.

The USSSA Pride have clinched first place in the NPF standings with a 30-13 record, winning the last 6 of 10 games they’ve played. The Dallas Charge hold fourth place with 15-25 winning the last 5 of 10. If the Pride continue to dominate they will surely take the title of NPF 2015 regular season champions. It’s just a matter of taking it game by game as they have been doing all season long.
First pitch for both nights (August 3^rd & 4^th) in Sugarland, Texas is set for 8:00 PM (ET) and will be aired live on CBS Sports Network. First pitch for game one of the DH on August 6^th is set for 5:00 PM (ET) and game two of the DH is set to start at 8:05 PM (ET). First pitch for the final regular season game on August 7^th is set for 8:05 PM (ET) and can be followed along live on BGC Sports Network Radio.

Pride Players to Watch:

• Natasha Watley has surpassed all expectations and has taken the number one spot in the league for the best batting average (.396). With a late start, making her 2015 debut on June 15^th, Watley has consistently came through for the Pride offensively in the lead off spot and leads the Pride in on-base percentage (.439).
• Kelly Kretschman has been an offensive threat throughout the 2015 season, leading in hits (47), runs scored (23), home runs (7), and stolen bases (10) for the Pride. Out of 10 attempts, Kretschman has successively stolen every single steal attempt.
• Shelby Pendley is the Pride rookie to watch. Pendley is in the top five of several offensive categories for the Pride. She leads in doubles (9) and is second in runs scored (20). Pendley has become of the Pride batters that provides that comes through during the opportune moment.
• Megan Wiggins is another Pride player who had a late start, making her 2015 debut June 11,2015. Since her first game, Wiggins leads in RBI (25). With 37 hits, 6 home runs, 61 total bases in 124 at bats, Wiggins is also listed in the top five of several Pride offensive categories.
• Jordan Taylor continues to lead the league in saves (11) and ERA (.30). In 18 appearances, all relief appearances, Taylor has finished 17 games. Taylor is the closer of the NPF and she has taken on her role as Pride closer with purpose keeping opposing batting average at .139, allowing only 11 hits and one earned run.
• Cat Osterman has been the pitcher to watch. Leading the NPF in strikeouts (151) and wins (12), Osterman has proven why she has been considered one of the greats of the mound. Standing with a 12-2 record and keeping opposing batting average at .138 Osterman continues to dominate the league’s best hitters.

Charge Players to Watch:

• Jolene Henderson leads the Dallas pitching staff with a 1.83 ERA and batters struck out looking (24). In her last win against the Pride, in 7 innings pitched, Henderson allowed no earned runs and kept the Pride to 6 hits.
• Kaitlyn Richardson not onlyleads the Dallas Charge but all NPF rookies in batting average (.318). Richardson also leads the Charge in on-base percentage (.375).
• Renada Davis, another NPF rookie, leads the Dallas Charge in slugging percentage (.415), hits (31), double and triples (11 & 2) and in drawn walks (17).

Fun Facts

• Cat Osterman  is retiring, following the 2015 NPF season, after joining the Pride in 2010. A native Texan from Houston, Cat returns to her home state to play her final regular season game as professional NPF player.
• The USSSA Pride and the Dallas Charge have not played each other during the 2015 NPF regular season since June 16, 2015.
• Of the seven games the USSSA Pride played in the beginning of the season against the Charge, USSSA won five out of seven.
• Two former Alabama players will be featured in this series, Kelly Kretschman  of the USSSA Pride and Molly Fichtner of the Dallas Charge.
• The Dallas Charge is not only the newest team in the league but also the youngest. With a roster of 22 players, twelve of those twenty-two are NPF rookies and two are draftees straight out of college.
• The Pride and Charge started their respective 2015 season battling each other for seven consecutive games and will end their respective regular season playing another five consecutive games against each other.

For tickets to the series visit www.dev.usssapride.com. Tickets for series one in Sugarland, Texas at Constellation field can be purchased online at ticketreturn.com. Games one and two of the series (August 3^rd and 4^th) will be broadcasted live at 8:00 PM (ET) on CBS Sports Network. You can find your local CBS channel by visiting CBS Sports Network Channel Finder, when prompted, enter your zip code and TV service provider in the area provided to find your local CBS Sports Network channel. Tickets for series two in San Antonio, Texas at St. Mary’s University can be purchased at goplaygirls.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:

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.