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NPF Chicago Bandits

Akron Racers Take Final Game of Series, 7-5

June 4, 2017 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Chicago Bandits News Release


Rosemont, IL- As the Bandits walked off the field following a 7-5 loss in Saturday night's series finale against the Akron Racers at The Ballpark at Rosemont, assistant coach Kyla Holas walked up to her players for a brief team meeting. Among her comments were, "We were thinking too much." The message resonated with the team, especially so for Taylore Fuller, who earlier scored what was a go-ahead run for the Bandits in the third inning.

"We were just in our own heads and we let us beat ourselves more than they beat us," Fuller said. "In that last inning, just truing to do way too much instead of just putting the ball in play."

Ellen Sara Roberts earned her first professional start in the U.S. after beginning her career in Australia with a stint in Italy mixed into her professional experience. After allowing just two hits through 2.2 innings and striking out three batters, Roberts surrendered a two-run homer to Akron's Ashley Thomas, a towering shot that landed beyond the bleachers.

However, the Bandits fought back with a key third inning rally.

With Emily Crane on base with a single, Brenna Moss sliced a triple to the left-center field gap to cut the deficit in half. Moss came in to after after Emily Carosone put the ball in play and the Bandits took the lead later in the inning on an RBI-single from Fuller on a 3-2 count, her first RBI as a member of the team.

"They were throwing me off-speed this whole series," Fuller said." I had to do something and I was just looking to make contact."

A brief rain delay seemed to do the Racers well, as Akron responded with four runs of their own in the fifth inning. Taylor Schlopy evened up the score with an RBI-single, ending Roberts' night at 4.1 innings with three earned runs and six hits. Shelby Turnier, pitching for the third time in as many days, entered the circle.

"I thought Ellen (Roberts) did a really good job," Holas said. "I was really pleased with her speed and it was up for her and I thought that was something we were looking for. She has been working really hard on her pitch combination. She'll do some really good things."

Turnier couldn't find the zone to start her outing. On her first pitch of the game, she hit Akron's Ashley Thomas and the Racers' shortstop had to be taken out of the game. She then loaded the bases after a single from Griffin Joiner, which opened the door for Taylor Schlopy to score the go ahead run after a wild pitch. A double from Nicole Schroeder sent two more runs home, which extended the Racers' lead to three runs.

Turnier had just come off two straight appearances, throwing a combined 110 pitches between her six innings in the circle.

"I think all three of them, [Wagner, Roberts, and Turnier,] anytime we are going from where we've been to throwing this many pitchers in this many days, they are going to feel it whether they do or they think they are or not," Holas said.

Holas added that the Bandits' pitching staff is short a few arms in the early going of the 2017 season.

"We are short staffed right now [on pitching]," Holas said. "We have three of our pitchers in and a couple of them are still playing in the series and stuff so we are trying to be really strategic. Sometimes we're right and sometimes we're not."

Third-year pitcher Lacey Waldrop is currently coaching at the University of Oklahoma as the Sooners play in the Women's College World Series and draftee Sierra Hyland is set to arrive in Chicago for the Bandits' next series against the Beijing Shougang Eagles.

"I do think that [pitching] is the key to the league right now and keeping things in and just having a fresh niche to anytime you want and being eager," Holas said.

The Bandits now fall to 2-1, still taking the victory in the series with wins on Thursday and Friday. The upcoming series against Beijing Shougang, its first as the NPF's newest member, is set for an 11:05 a.m. CST first pitch on Tuesday morning. The game will be broadcast on NPF TV.

Quick Facts:

Attendance: 1,046 Time of Game: Two hours, 25 minutes Vaultz® Lock it Up® Player of the Game: Nicole Schroeder (AK) (1-for-4, 2 RBI)

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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