Melissa Roth
Kissimmee, Fla. – The USSSA Florida Pride took on the Tennessee Diamonds for the fourth and final time today at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, ending the series 3-1 and taking the final game in a 2-1 victory.
Sarah Pauly started in the circle for the Pride and took the win, allowing only one run on three hits, striking out seven and walking only two.
Kristin Erb shouldered the loss for the Diamonds, allowing two runs on four hits. The Diamonds concluded the contest with three errors on the side.
The Pride made it on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. An error from Diamonds shortstop Chelsea Spencer allowed Melissa Roth to reach. After a stolen base on Kelly Kretschman’s at bat, followed by a throwing error from catcher Dede Justice, Roth was in position to score on third. Kretschman’s ground-out to second drove Roth home, and the inning was subsequently retired on a fly out to right from Tonya Callahan.
The home team struck again in the bottom of the second. A double from Charlotte Morgan opened the inning. A sacrifice bunt from Megan Willis advanced Morgan to third and an error from Loryn Johnson at first base allowed Willis to reach and Morgan to score the Pride’s second run of the contest.
The Diamonds struck back in the top of the fifth, when Dede Justice, after striking out in the second, laced a solo home run past the left field fence. Two walks issued by Pauly to Angeline Quiocho and Amanda Williams put the visiting team in position to score again but a ground-out from Carly Wynn retired the side.
The Diamonds recorded another base hit in the top of the sixth, but were unable to come-back from the deficit, giving the Pride the 2-1 victory.
The USSSA Florida Pride will take to the field once again next weekend in a five game series against the NPF’s Chicago Bandits. The series will mark the last time that Jennie Finch will play professional softball in the state of Florida before retiring at the end of the 2010 NPF season.
The USSSA Florida Pride joined the NPF as a franchise Team in November of 2009, operated by Florida Pride LLC. USSSA managed the Pride Team during 2009, culminating their inaugural season with a second place finish in the Championship Series. USSSA Florida Pride is sponsored by USSSA, the world’s largest amateur sports association, and is headquartered in Kissimmee, Florida.
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:
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 News!
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