National Pro Fastpitch Softball: Pennsylvania Rebellion Ready For Home Opener
By Larry Snyder
Consol Energy Park welcomes National Pro Fastpitch women’s softball Thursday night, as the Pennsylvania Rebellion host the USSSA Pride in their inaugural home opener in Washington.
It will be the first of a four-game homestand, and a rematch of the season-opening series between the defending NPF champions, the Pride, and the league’s newest member, the Rebellion. The action is set to get underway at 7 p.m. For those who can not make it to the game, Rebellion contests will be broadcast this year through msasports.net with Nate Regotti on the call.
The two teams split their four-game season-opening series in Maryland, with the USSSA Pride taking Games 1 and 4 on the left arm of starting pitcher Cat Osterman. She struck out 15 in Game 1 last Friday to claim a 2-1 victory, and then came back with nine strikeouts in Game 4 on Tuesday for a 1-0 shutout.
It was the Rebellion’s time to rise up in Game 2 on Saturday, as they defeated the Pride 3-2 for their first win in franchise history. They made it two in a row on Monday with a 6-3 victory in Game 3.
Rebellion number one draft pick Dallas Escobedo picked up the win in Game 2, as the right-hander struck out five, walked two and gave up just two earned runs on nine hits. The team made the most of their six hits as Jenn Salling, Lauren Lappin and Brittney Lindley scored the three runs.
Veteran righty Sarah Pauly picked up the win in Game 3 in relief as she pitched 2 1/3 innings, struck out two, and did not allow a run. The Rebellion (2-2) took charge of the scoreboard in the sixth as Angeline Quiocho hit a two-run homer that was followed later in the inning by a solo blast from Courtney Liddle.
Rookie free agent outfielders Andie Varsho from Purdue and B.B. Bates from UCLA each recorded their first professional hits over the weekend. The 22-year-old Varsho is the daughter of former Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder and coach Gary Varsho.
After the homestand with the Pride, the Rebellion will head out back on the road on Thursday, June 12, for a four-game series with the Akron Racers at Firestone Stadium.