Bandits win 6-3
The host Chicago Bandits took an early 3-0 lead in the game and ended things with a 3-0 lead in the series following Saturday night's 6-3 victory over the Pennsylvania Rebellion.
Andi Williamson got the call for the Bandits, facing off against the Rebellion's Dallas Escobedo.
It was the Bandits who struck first this game as they took an early 1-0 lead off singles by Emily Allard and Megan Wiggins with the hit by Wiggins plating Allard. Tammy Williams extended the lead in the next at bat as her RBI single cleared the bases for Chicago, giving the Bandits a three-run lead heading to the second.
Brittany Cervantes looked like she might take the lead as the top home run hitter in the league with her towering fly ball to left in the third, but it was just shy good, enough for a sac-fly to score Wiggins, extending the Bandits lead to 4-0.
The Rebellion would get on the board in the top of the fourth as Lauren Lappin, on base after a Bandits error, crossed home on a pass ball to cut the Bandits lead to three. A Jenn Salling sac fly later in the inning plated Bianca Mejia who walked to get on base making it a two run ballgame.
Pennsylvania's offense kept the heat on in the fifth as Briana Hamilton cut the Bandits lead to just one with her towering solo home run over the wall in center.
The Bandits got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Danielle Zymkowitz successfully completed a suicide squeeze on a sac bunt fielder's choice by Williams to take a 5-3 lead.
Sarah Pauly entered the circle in relief of Escobedo while Amber Patton started things off in the sixth with a double to the left field wall, coming around to score on a single by Zymkowitz, extending the Bandits lead to 6-3, heading to the seventh.
A pitching change for the Bandits in the seventh brought Kirsten Verdun to finish things off.
Samantha Garcia started out the inning with a triple, while Bianca Mejia got on base after getting hit by a pitch. Following that play, another pitching change brought Monica Abbott to the circle. She got Courtney Liddle to fly out to second base, securing the 6-3 victory and giving the Bandits a 3-0 series lead.
Williamson picked up her second win in a row allowing three runs on five hits, including six strikeouts while Escobedo suffered the loss. In her five inning outing, she allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
The Bandits will go for the sweep Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m.