Duran’s grand slam spurs rout of Rebellion
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. – For the second time in as many nights, USSSA third baseman Andrea Duran showed why she was named the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch Player of the Year.
Duran, a six-year pro from UCLA, hit a grand slam to help the Pride rout the Rebellion, 7-1, at Champion Stadium in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Monday night.
After hitting a three-run homer in USSSA’s victory Sunday, Duran, who went 2-for-2, sent a 1-1 rising fastball over the fence in center field in the bottom of the third inning for a 7-0 lead. Shleby Pendley and Madison Shipman started the onslaught for the Pride (24-9) in the third with back-to-back two-out singles off Rebellion pitcher Dallas Escobedo. GiOnna DiSalvatore was then hit by a pitch before Duran hit the third pitch of the next at-bat for her fourth home run of the season. Pendley and Shipman also had two-hit games for USSSA.
Escobedo (2-7), who was dominant in her previous start against the Dallas Charge, struggled against the Pride, lasting just 2 2/3 innings while allowing seven hits, seven earned runs and striking out two. Her counterpart, USSSA pitcher Cat Osterman, continued her dominance of the Rebellion after tossing a no-hitter in her last start against them at Consol Energy Park. Osterman (10-2), who will retire at the end of the season, pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 and only walking two. She now has 129 strikeouts and only 20 walks this season.
Allyson Fournier, a former Division III standout at Tufts, entered in relief for the Rebellion and tossed three scoreless innings.
The lone Pennsylvania (9-26) player to have much success against the former Olympian was second baseman Haruna Sakamoto, who singled in the first and third innings, but was stranded both times. The Rebellion got their lone in the seventh inning when Samie Garcia and Courtney Cordes hit back-to-back singles before Maddie O’Brien walked on six pitches. Olivia Watkins grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Garcia, but Pride reliever Andi Williamson got Alexa Peterson to fly out to end the game.