Hoover, AL – August 20, 2014 – The USSSA Pride scored at least one run in each of the first five innings, and NPF Pitcher of the Year Cat Osterman threw five shutout innings, as the Pride defeated the Pennsylvania Rebellion, 6-0, in the second game of the 2014 NPF Championship Series being played at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Ala.
Osterman struck out the first two Rebellion batters of the game on seven pitches as Pennsylvania went down in order to start the game.
In the bottom of the first, with one out, Pride centerfielder Caitlin Lowe had an infield single and advanced to second on an error by Rebellion starting pitcher Sarah Pauly. Lowe advanced to third on a flyout by Madison Shipman, then scored on an illegal pitch by Pauly to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the second, Pennsylvania had runners on first and second with no outs as catcher Taylor Edwards was hit by a pitch and rightfielder Mandy Ogle reached on a fielder’s choice; Osterman then struck out second baseman Lauren Lappin and designated player B.B. Bates before getting first baseman Briana Hamilton to ground out and end the Rebellion’s rally.
In the bottom of the second, the Pride added a run on a solo home run by rightfielder Kelly Kretschman to lead off for the Pride. One out later, Rebellion centerfielder Samantha Garcia robbed Pride catcher Megan Willis of a home run with a leaping catch over the wall in center field.
The Pride scored for the third consecutive inning as shortstop Madison Shipman was on first with two outs then scored after a single by third baseman Andrea Duran, the NPF Player of the Year, and a fielding error by leftfielder Brittney Lindley; Duran went to third on the play, and the Pride led 3-0 after three innings.
Pennsylvania again started an inning with two runners on in the fourth as Edwards walked on a full count, then Ogle singled to left. Catcher Megan Willis picked Edwards off at second, then Duran made a leaping grab at third and threw to second to get Ogle for the second out. Osterman recorded her sixth strikeout when she got Bates swinging to end the Rebellion’s half of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Pride led off with a single by Kretschman and a double by designated player Kristyn Sandberg. A sacrifice fly by Willis extended the USSSA lead to 4-0. They added a run when centerfielder Natasha Watley reached on an error, with pinch runner Sharonda McDonald scoring from second on the play to give the Pride a 5-0 advantage after four innings.
In the Pride’s half of the fifth, there was a leadoff walk to Shipman and then Duran doubled into the left-field corner. A sacrifice fly by first baseman GiOnna DiSalvatore extended the USSSA lead to 6-0.
Osterman went five innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out seven Rebellion batters; she walked one and hit two batters in her five innings of work. Danielle Lawrie came on in relief of Osterman in the top of the sixth and pitched two shutout innings.
Osterman was named the DeMarini Difference Maker of the game.
The championship series continues tomorrow at the Hoover Met. USSSA and Pennsylvania will play at 5:30 p.m. (the Pride leads that series, 1-0), followed by the Chicago Bandits and Akron Racers at 8:00 p.m. The Racers lead that best-of-three series, 1-0, after their 2-1 win over the Bandits earlier today.
