Can Chicago Bandits upset Pride in NPF Championship Series?
The Chicago Bandits, who concluded the regular season with a record of 25-24, will open play Thursday in the NPF Championship Series at the No. 4 seed at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
For the 2015 and 2016 Cowles Cup champions, it's their 10th consecutive trip to the postseason, and they will face the No. 1 seeded USSSA Pride in a best-of-three series in the opening round.
Here are three keys to a successful playoff run for the Bandits:
<h3 class="leadin">Awesome Aussie:</h3>
Australian southpaw Kaia Parnaby captured six wins in seven starts while pacing the Bandits with a 1.56 ERA during the regular season. Against a potent Pride offense that topped the league in both average (.296) and power (56 home runs) numbers, the first-year pro limited USSSA to a .224 clip at the plate.
<h3 class="leadin">Conquer Keilani:</h3>
The Bandits will need to solve Pride pitcher Keilani Ricketts to win this series. Ricketts, a fifth-year southpaw from Oklahoma, compiled a 10-3 mark in the regular season with a team-high 72 strikeouts. Although Ricketts held the Bandits to a .216 average at the plate during the regular season, Bandits leadoff hitter Brenna Moss had success, batting .500.
<h3 class="leadin">Fifth frame:</h3>
The fifth inning has been the key frame for the Bandits throughout the regular season. In the fifth, the Bandits outscored their opponents by an 18-run margin, the widest gap of any inning. The Bandits own a 24-5 record when leading or tied after five, compared to 1-18 when they trail after five.
<h3 class="leadin">The quote: </h3>
"I can't wait to get my cleats in the dirt and play again at LSU. I need our fans. I am counting on them." - Sahvanna Jaquish, Bandits catcher and four-time All-American at LSU
<h3 class="leadin">Fun facts:</h3>
• Over the past seven games, Bandits first baseman Megan Blank has tore it up at the plate, batting .357 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI.
• Despite their limited success against the Pride during the regular season (2-8 head-to-head), the Bandits have knocked off their Florida-based opponent in each of the past two postseasons.