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Long and Peel blast the Force to a win

July 18, 2008 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Philadelphia Force News Release


Elgin, IL- Savannah Long hit a three-run home run and Trena Peel added a solo shot as the Philadelphia Force came away with a 5-4 win at the Judson Sports Complex. The Force, who won on a Chelsea Spencer grand slam last night, have taken two of the three games from the Bandits. Game four is set for Saturday evening in Elgin.

The Force fell behind early in the contest. Stacy May started the game for the Bandits by reaching on a single. Kristie Fox followed her with a single as well. Rachal Folden then successfully moved each runner up one base with a sacrifice bunt. The league's leading RBI producer, Jaime Clark, knocked in May with an infield groundout.

In the second inning, the Force tied up the score. Long reached with the first of her two hits on the night and then promptly stole second base. After a groundout made Long hold her position at second base, Kristin Miller drove her in with a single up the middle.

The Force (19-8) took the lead for good in the third inning. With one out, Kellie Wilkerson, who is leading the league in hitting, singled to center field. Last night's hero Spencer singled to put runners on first and second. After starting pitcher Megan Gibson flew out, Long slammed a homer to right-center field to put the Force up 4-1. It was Long's second professional home run.

In the bottom of that frame, the Bandits (14-13) got one run back. May would connect with her sixth home run of the season, a deep solo shot with one-out.

But the Force didn't waste anytime getting that run back. On the first pitch Peel saw from Bandits pitcher Tracie Adix (1-1), the former Bandit took a ball deep into the Elgin night to regain the Force a three run lead. For Peel, that was home run number three on the season.

Things then got interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the Force holding a 5-2 lead, the Bandits' Samantha Findlay drew a lead-off pinch-hit walk. May then hit a sharp grounder to third base, but Clare Burnum's threw was a little off target at first and the Bandits had two runners with no outs. Gibson (7-1) then induced Fox into a fielder's choice that retired May at second base. Folden singled to left to plate Aileen Morales, who had re-entered, and to move Fox to second base. Clark followed with a singled to load the bases with Bandits. Nicole Trimboli worked a walk off of Gibson to make the score 5-4 in favor of the Force and still only one out. Gibson got Emily Nichols to foul a pop down the first base line, and an aggressive Ashley Smith tracked down the pop for the second out of the inning. Lindsay Schutzler then grounded into a fielder's choice to end the ballgame.

Gibson pitched all seven innings for the win. She allowed nine hits and struck out two batters.

Adix went the distance and gave up 11 hits to the Force.

On the night and besides Long, Spencer and McDonald each went 2-for-4 on the plate. For the Bandits, May finished the game going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs.

After game four of the series tomorrow, both teams travel to Allentown to begin a four-game set at ECTB Stadium on Monday at 7:05 p.m. The set runs through Thursday night which is Belle's Birthday Bash and features many of the mascots from the area.



National Pro Fastpitch Stories from July 18, 2008


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