Rebellion no-hit by Chicago
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Monica Abbott was named the National Pro Fastpitch league’s Pitcher of the Week after leading the Chicago Bandits to two wins last week while striking out 16 and not allowing a run.
One of the sport’s marquee players continued her run of dominance Monday and it came at the expense of the Rebellion. Abbott threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and one walk as Chicago defeated Pennsylvania, 3-0, in a rescheduled game at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
The Bandits (28-15) avoided the series sweep, while the Rebellion (12-30) are 3 1/2 games out of the league’s fourth and final playoff spot. The final game of the series was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but was rescheduled after a storm swept through the Chicago area.
Abbott (12-1) improved her ERA to 0.34 and now has 131 strikeouts with just 19 walks in 821/3 innings pitched this season. She struck out five of six Rebellion batters she faced in the second and third innings, and had a perfect game entering the seventh inning.
After getting Mandy Ogle to fly out to start the seventh, Haruna Sakamoto reached on an error. Two batters later, Abbott walked Kristyn Sandberg before striking out Alisa Goler to end the game.
Chicago did not take long to give Abbott the lead when Brittany Cervantes hit a leadoff solo home run in the first inning off Rebellion pitcher Haylie Wagner (3-4).
The Bandits added two runs in the second inning when Cervantes hit a two-run single.