Wild Can't Hold off Pride and Drop Series Finale
July 21, 2019 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
USSSA Pride News Release
Melbourne, FL - The USSSA Pride walked off the Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois for a 5-4 win in a back and forth series finale on Sunday night at Space Coast Stadium.
It looked like the Pride would take the lead in the first, loading the bases with two-outs in the inning, but Sara Groenewegen wiggled out of the trouble by getting Megan Good to fly out to Larissa Franklin in center. The Wild couldn't hold the Pride off the board the next inning, and they took a 1-0 lead off a single to center from Sydney Romero that scored Allexis Bennett from second.
The Wild found their offence in the fifth, scoring three runs in the frame to take the lead. Gilbert led off the outburst with a solo home run to center field to put the Wild on the board and cut the lead to one. Two batters later, Erika Polidori blaster her own home run nearly the identical spot in center, tying the game at two. Holly Speers finished off the scoring in the inning by singling home Larissa Franklin. The response came quickly from the Pride, scoring twice in their half of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead thanks to singles from Megan Good and Alex Powers.
The Wild got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth. With Emma Entzminger on first, and Jennifer Gilbert on second, Shianne Brannan smacked a single down the left field line that plated Gilbert to pull the Wild even with the Pride at 4-4.
The Pride looked to take the lead back again in the bottom of the sixth when Jessie Warren doubled to right, but a perfect throw from Shianne Brannan allowed Natalie Wideman to slap a tag on Kelly Kretschman at home plate as she was trying to score from first on the hit.
Brittany Cervantes ended the game and earned herself RIP-IT Player of the game honors with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to seal the game for the Pride. Cervantes went three for four at the plate with a double to go along with her game-winning home run.
The Wild are off on Monday, but are back home in Marion to start a four-game home stand with the Aussie Peppers on Tuesday, July 23. That series will also feature the rained-out game from the last series between the two teams.
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National Pro Fastpitch Stories from July 21, 2019
- Wild Can't Hold off Pride and Drop Series Finale - USSSA Pride
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