NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Spencer slams the Bandits

July 17, 2008 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Philadelphia Force News Release


Elgin, IL- Chelsea Spencer stroked a two-out grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to give the Philadelphia Force a 6-4 win over the host Comcast Chicago Bandits.

Things started out right for the Force in the first inning. Clare Burnum began the tilt by drawing a walk from Bandits pitcher Jessica Sallinger. After Burnum swiped second base, Sharonda McDonald also drew a walk. The league's leading hitter Kellie Wilkerson smashed a single to left field to score Burnum with the game's first run. Left fielder Amanda Freed bobbled the ball in the outfield allowing McDonald to go to third and Wilkerson to second base. But Sallinger (6-5) got Spencer on an infield pop up and Megan Gibson to strikeout to wiggle out of the threat.

The Bandits (14-12) tied up the game in their half of the first inning. With two outs, Rachel Folden launched her seventh home run of the season to knot up the game at one a piece.

In the third inning, the Bandits took the lead. Laura Harms lead off the inning with a single up the middle. Aileen Morales was asked to sacrifice her to second base. Morales bunted the ball back to Force pitcher Katie Burkhart, who threw high to second base trying to get Harms. It looked like Burkhart and the Force would get out of the jam when Stacy May flew out for the first out and Harms was picked off second base by catcher Kristen Miller, but Morales moved up on a wild pitch, and then scored on a double down the left field line by Freed.

Bandits Mindy Cowles started the fifth inning with a single to left. Harms bunted back to Burkhart and the rookie pitcher threw the ball wide of first base allowing Cowles to get to third and Harms to second base. Then the Bandits broke out the suicide squeeze play. First Morales used it to scored Cowles, and then May did the same thing to drive in Harms.

Gibson got one back for the Force by hitting her second home run of the season.

In the seventh inning, the Force (18-8) would steal the victory from the Bandits. Emily Friedman started the winning rally with one out when she reached with her third base hit of the game. After Burnum flied out, McDonald kept the Force alive with a single. Wilkerson then hit a smash to shortstop that she bobbled and her attempt to get Friedman at third was late to load the bases. This set the stage for Spencer who drove a 0-1 offering from Sallinger into the left-center field seats to put the Force up 6-4. It was Spencer's second dinger of the season.

Burkhart (6-2) got the Bandits in order in the bottom of the seventh to complete the win. She struck out 11 Bandit batters and allowed four hits. Of the four runs she gave up, only two were earned.

Sallinger was the credited with the defeat. She pitched all seven innings and yielded seven Force hits.

The Force and Bandits have two more games in Elgin before they open a four-game rematch at ECTB Stadium beginning on Monday, July 21.

• Discuss this story on the National Pro Fastpitch message board...

National Pro Fastpitch Stories from July 17, 2008


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.

Other Recent Philadelphia Force Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central