Orlando, FL (By: Jason Lowenthal) Thanks to a clutch relief performance by Central Florida graduate Shelby Turnier in her homecoming, the Bandits earned a 5-1 victory over the USSSA Pride, Sunday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. It was the first win for the Bandits in the season series after the Pride had claimed the first five games in 2016.
With the Bandits ahead 5-1 in the fourth inning, the Pride kicked off the inning with a rally as consecutive singles from Keilani Ricketts and Hallie Wilson put starting pitcher Sara Moulton (ND, 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 K) in a jam. She was replaced by Turnier, who graduated from Central Florida earlier this year. The rookie right-hander retired all three batters she faced, negating the threat and keeping the Bandits’ four-run cushion intact.
Turnier (W, 4-3) would go on to work four scoreless frames while allowing just one hit and striking out a pair. She slowed down the league-leading Pride’s offensive attack with a nice mix of pitches and worked the corners of the plate effectively.
After dropping consecutive decisions, Turnier has now won each of her last two to move above the .500 mark on the season. She needed just 47 pitches to secure the win for the Bandits.
After trading back-to-back scoreless innings to open the game, the Bandits struck for a pair of runs in the third via a sacrifice fly from Brittany Cervantes (0-for-2, SF, BB, RBI) and run-scoring double from Taylor Edwards (1-for-4, 2B, RBI). The Pride cut the Bandits’ lead in half in the bottom of the inning thanks to a solo home run from Megan Wiggins, but the Bandits responded with three more in the fourth to pull ahead 5-1.
Kristen Brown (2-for-4, HR, RBI) led off the frame with an opposite field solo shot to right to give the Bandits an insurance run. It was the second home run of the day for Brown, who smacked her first career round-tripper earlier in the resumption of Saturday night’s postponed game. The Bandits dropped the opener by a 6-1 score, despite two hits from Danielle Zymkowitz.
Megan Blank (3-for-4, 2 RBI, R) came through with a two-RBI single up the middle to push the Bandits’ lead 5-1 in the nightcap, which was plenty for Turnier, who set down 12 of the 13 batters she faced.
The Bandits and Pride will play the rubber match of the three-game series tomorrow 6 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast via NPFTV as well as on Comcast SportsNet + (Comcast Xfinity channel 201; DirectTV channel 665-1).
Tickets for all remaining home games during the 2016 season are on sale now. Visit www.chicagobandits.com or call the box office at 877-722-6348 to order.
About the Chicago Bandits
Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch players to further their careers at a professional level, and the roster has included such names as Jennie Finch, Stacy May-Johnson, Emily Allard and Tammy Williams. The three-time NPF Champions, who are owned by Bill Sokolis, play at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the only stadium in the country built for a women’s professional team. The 2016 season will be the Bandits 12th season in the NPF.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The 2016 NPF season will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Coverage includes the NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thur., April 14, followed by 23 regular-season games, a Championship Series Preview Special and the 2016 NPF Championship Series. The NPF recently announced that the Scrap Yard Dawgs, located in The Woodlands, Texas, will join the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Dallas Charge, Pennsylvania Rebellion and USSSA Pride for the 2016 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand, representing the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
