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Bandits fall to Pride in extras

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Lacey Waldrop seemed right at home in her first start of the season on Sunday night. The former Florida State Seminole, making her first start of the 2017 season, returned to JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee and shut down the potent USSSA Pride lineup. Unfortunately, Waldrop's five shutdown innings of work in the circle were not enough as the Pride fought back to win the series opener in extras, 4-3.

Waldrop appeared to be in control through five after joining the team in Tallahassee following a national championship season as a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma. However, five-game winner Haylie Wagner replaced her in the sixth inning and the new arm appeared to do the Pride well.

USSSA scored in each of the next three frames to crawl back and take the game after Chelsea Goodacre's half-swing fell perfectly along the third base line with the bases loaded, leaving Chicago's Natalie Hernandez with no play.

Ellen Sara Roberts (L, 0-2) was saddled with the loss for the Bandits while Jordan Taylor (W, 1-0) picked up the victory in a relief effort for the Pride.

Hernandez gave the Bandits an early 2-0 advantage with a two-RBI double off the wall in the opening frame. Brenna Moss, who collected three hits on the night, sent a single up the middle in the sixth to score Chelsea Forkin and extend the Bandits' lead to three runs.

However, USSSA responded in the bottom half of the inning after Waldrop departed. Reigning league MVP Kelly Kretschman took Wagner deep to center for her first home run of the season. It put the Pride on the board after it had just two baserunners through the first five innings.

Florida State graduate Sydney Broderick sent the game into extra innings with a two-out single to right and Goodacre's infield single won it in the eighth after the Bandits failed to take advantage with a runner in scoring position in the top half.

The loss in the series opener ended the Bandits' four-game win streak after an impressive sweep over the Beijing Shougang Eagles. Game two between the Bandits and USSSA is set for 6:05 p.m. CST on Monday night at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee.

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