USSSA Pride vs Canadian Wild | NPF - Game 2 | NPF - Jun 7, 2019 at 6:55 PM CDT
Marion, IL (June 7, 2019) – The Canadian Wild won their eighth game of the season in dramatic fashion, walking off the USSSA Pride 5-4 on a three-run home run from Holly Speers in the ninth inning on Friday night at Rent One Park. With the win, the Wild are now 8-0 to begin the season.
The Wild fell behind early, with the Pride taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on singles from Wiggins and Goodacre. The Pride was all over the base paths in the early innings, loading the bases in the second with no outs. Danielle Lawrie pitched around the trouble, getting out of the frame without allowing further damage.
The Wild had chances to score in the second and third, getting their leadoff runner on in both, but couldn’t push runs across despite the opportunities. It wasn’t until the fourth that they were able to cash in. With two on and two out, Emma Entzminger blooped a single to left field, scoring Jennifer Gilbert from second and cutting the Pride lead to 2-1.
The Pride defense locked down after allowing the run, and it was another two innings before the Wild would score again. With one out in the seventh, Jennifer Salling came to the plate. With Joey Lye on second after pinch running for Holly Speers, Salling singled down the right field line, scoring Lye and tying the game up at 2-2.
Neither team could break through in the eighth, but the Pride went ahead again in the ninth, scoring two in the top of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Alexis Bennett and a single from Megan Wiggins.
In the bottom of the ninth, Holly Speers came to the plate with one out and runners on first and second. Speers cranked a home run to left field, scoring Natalie Wideman and Shianne Brannan for the walk-off win. Named Park Planet Player of the game, Speers game-winning homer was her first of the NPF season.
It was another combined pitching effort for the Wild tonight. Making her first start for the Wild, Danielle Lawrie went three innings, two earned runs on six hits. Morgan Rackel replaced Lawrie to start the fourth and had another strong outing for the Wild going 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks. Sara Groenewegen came in with two outs in the top of the ninth and got the final out of the game on a foul out.
The Wild will go for the series win on Saturday night in game three of the five-game series with the USSSA Pride at 6:00 p.m. CT from Rent One Park.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Peppers of Minnesota, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Pride. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada, China, and Mexico, and represent the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.