NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 8, 2010) _ The USSSA Pride pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of eight Nashville Diamonds errors in a 15-1 win in National Pro Fastpitch action.
The Thursday night game at Draper Diamond on the campus of Lipscomb University started an 1 ½ hours late due to a rain storm. After the first inning began the rain returned, prompting a 48-minute delay.
The Pride struck first in the second inning. Charlotte Morgan led off with a double to right center. She advanced to third on a fly out. Morgan scored when Melissa Roth hit a fly ball down the right field line for an RBI double.
In the home portion of the second the Diamonds scored their only run. Loryn Johnson, who reached base on a single, scored on a sacrifice bunt by Aubree Brattin.
The Pride used six hits, two walks and six Diamonds errors to score nine runs in the third inning to break the game open. The big hit in the inning was a triple to left center by Amber Flores.
Right-hander Kristen Erb, 0-4, started the game for the Diamonds. She lasted 2.1 innings, giving up nine runs, two earned, on eight hits. She recorded on strikeout and did not walk a batter. Right-hander Megan Gibson relieved in the third inning. She pitched 2.2 innings and allowed one run on two hits. She walked two and struck out three. Right-hander Samantha Sheeley scattered four hits and five runs, all earned. She walked three and struck out two.
Right-hander Sarah Pauley, 5-2, went the distance for the Pride. She gave up seven hits and struck out 12. She also walked one batter.
The Prides Natasha Whatley led all batters with three hits. Andrea Duran, Melissa Roth and Flores each had two hits. Roth and Flores both drove in two runs.
Gibson and Johnson both had two hits to lead the Diamonds.
The series, even at 1-1, continues Friday night at 7.
DIAMOND GEMS: A special guest at the game was University of Tennessee pitcher Ivy Renfroe and her family. Her sister Ellen, the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, was also in the stands. She will pitcher for the Lady Vols softball team this fall. …The Pride twice batted through the order sending 15 batters to the plate in the third inning and 11 in the sixth. …The only Pride player to not connect for at least one hit was Jessica Mendoza. She was hitless in six trips to the plate and does not have a hit in nine at bats in the series.
