By World Baseball Softball Confederation, www.wbsc.org
USSSA Pride closed on Wednesday its Italian stage of the European Pro Softball Series presented by WBSC with a 2-0 win over the host national team, and swept the 2-game series against World N° 9 nation.
A huge crowd packed the Francesco Nespoli stadium for the second day in a row, and enjoyed a very close game in a beautiful afternoon to watch softball.
Both teams put runners on base in the early innings of the game, but failed to capitalize their options. Italy had their best opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the 4th. The European team put runners on first and second with no outs, but Hannah Rogers retired the next three batters to avoid any damage.
The Pride scored their two runs in the 6th inning. Catcher Sahvanna Jaquish hit her third hit of the game to plate Shelby Pendley, advanced to third with a single by Bianka Bell and then scored on an error.
Early in the morning the USSSA Pride held a clinic, teaching fundamentals to a group of enthusiast Italian kids from the U-15 All Star of the Lombardia Region. The clinic was also open to all the softball coaches of the Region.
Tomorrow will be a travel day for the USSSA Pride, since they will move to Prague, Czech Republic to continue with the European Pro Softball Series presented by WBSC. The games against Czech National Team will be on Friday 27 at, 7 pm local time (1 pm EDT), in Svoboda Park; and Saturday 28, at 3 pm (9 am EDT), in Eagles Park.