Chicago Bandits lose to first-place USSSA

With first place on the line between the top two teams in the NPF, the USSSA Pride pulled out the 6-5 victory Thursday over the Chicago Bandits to keep a hold of their first place position.

The Bandits sent second-year pitcher Kirsten Verdun to the circle, facing off against Cat Osterman of the Pride for the second time in the series at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World.

For the third night in a row it was the Bandits who got on the board first. Amber Patton started things off with a single to left field. With two outs in the inning, Taylor Edwards blasted a two-run shot over the wall in left giving the Bandits an early lead, but the Pride got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Brigette Del Ponte doubled to drive in Kelley Kretschman.

A pitching change shortly after the start of the third, brought Taylor Edwards into the circle which began a four-run third inning for the Pride. Back-to-back walks drawn by Del Ponte and Shelby Pendley allowed the Pride to tie the game at two. Sara Moulton stepped on the mound for the Bandits, allowing yet another walk, this time to Madison Shipman, to give the Pride a 3-2 lead. Looking to close out the inning, Michelle Gascoigne came into the game and gave up a single to Lauren Chamberlain as the Pride took a 5-2 lead into the fourth.

USSSA added an insurance run in the fourth as Watley singled to put one on for Wiggins. Her RBI double drove in Watley to give them a 6-2 lead.

A Bandits rally in the top of the seventh kept things interesting, beginning with an Allard single while a Pride fielding error allowed A.J. Andrews to reach first safely. Tammy Williams stepped to the plate and blasted a three run shot to center as the Bandits found themselves down by just a run. However, relief pitcher Jordan Taylor, ended the rally with a strikeout securing the 6-5 victory for the Pride.

Verdun, suffered the loss despite giving up just two runs on two hits with one strikeout. Thursday's loss is just her first this season while Osterman picked up her ninth win of the year for the Pride allowing two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts.

The Bandits return to Rosemont for a three-game set against the Dallas Charge beginning on Thursday, July 23.