Kissimmee, FL- July 28, 2016-The USSSA Florida Pride took both games of a double header against the Dallas Charge on Thursday night. Game one ended with a final score of 2-0, while game two was decided by a score of 6-4. With the wins the Pride improved to 27-10 on the season.
Megan Wiggins prepares for the pitch against the Dallas Charge
Game one was close until the fourth. Powerhandz player of the game Sierra Romero (2-for-3) secured the win with a timely two-run bomb that gave the Pride a 2-0 lead. The Pride line-up totaled six hits in game one and committed no errors for their 26th win of the season.
Starting pitcher, Jolene Henderson tossed a complete-game one-hitter and struck out six to secure the win for the Pride. Henderson continues to lead the Pride pitching staff with seven wins on the season and is second with a 1.95 ERA.
The bottom half of Thursday’s double-header was a tight game all the way through. The Pride looked like they would make it a blowout, launching two home runs in the first inning.
Megan Wiggins started things with a bang, sending a bomb over the scoreboard in the first at-bat of the game. Three batters later, Chelsea Goodacre launched a home run of her own into right-center field and brought in two runs to make the score 3-0 before the Charge had a chance to retaliate.
Dallas took a minute to fight back but showed they had some fight in them in the second inning. Beginning with a Taylor Gadbois double, they made use of three consecutive two-out base hits to put a run on the board. They would go on to put a runner on base in every inning, with the exception of the sixth.
The Pride got a run back in the second inning. GiOnna DiSalvatore (2-3) scored following a single of her own, a single from Courtney Ceo (1-3) and a single from Kelly Kretschman (1-2, 2 BB).
While the Charge were chipping away with home runs from Kylee Lahners (third inning), Vicky Galasso (fourth) and Chelsea Forkin (seventh), the Pride seemed to be comfortable with their four runs. That is, until the seventh inning when Shelby Pendley broke the game open.
With a 4-3 lead and a persistent opponent, Pendley took it upon herself to close the door on the tough Dallas team. On the first pitch of her at bat, Pendley launched a two-run bomb over the fence to ensure the victory for the league-leading Pride.
The Pride pitching staff combined effort to pick up the win. The three pitchers split the game almost evenly among them, giving up a home run each. Starter Kelsey Nunley gave up six hits in 15 batters faced while striking out four in 2.2 innings pitched. Reliever Hannah Rogers came in to close the third and allowed four hits in 11 batters faced while striking out three in two innings pitched. She was the only Pride pitcher to walk a batter. Closer Jordan Taylor did her job and shut things down. She pitched 1.2 innings, faced six batters, gave up one hit and struck out two. Taylor’s ERA is now at a staggering 0.88.
The Pride continue the series against the Dallas Charge tomorrow night with their second double header of the week. Start time is 5:30PM (ET) for game one and 8:30PM (ET) for game two. Tune in to NPFTV for all of the action!
Final Score
Game One
USSSA Pride: 2
Dallas Charge: 0
Game Two
USSSA Pride: 6
Dallas Charge: 4
Powerhandz Player of the Game
Game one: Sierra Romero
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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