Oxford, AL – USSSA Pride’s Ace responds Rogers no-hitter by delivering three hits as Oxford’s Smash It Sports Vipers lose 5-1. Vipers are hoping to finish the regular season by winning the series.
Joe Medley Joe Medley
Ashley Rogers brought Oxford’s Smash It Sports Vipers smiles when she hit a no-hitter for the USSSA Pride on Saturday, and the Pride responded by putting up the Ally Carda buzzsaw.
Carda was able to throw a 3-hitter that had 10 strikeouts on Sunday in the Pride’s game, and the Pride defeated the Vipers 5-1 in the final regular-season match for both teams.
The Vipers (9-26) and Pride (18-16) are set to finish their three-game series on Monday, as well as the all-four team Women’s Professional Fastpitch league’s playoffs begin this Wednesday Choccolocco Park.
If the Vipers take home a victory on Monday, they’ll move into the playoffs with a second series win for the year. They’ll begin the playoffs as the no. 4 seed and will play the best-of-3 semifinals against the top seeded Texas Smoke.
“It will be massive for us to be able to win a series. So the game on Monday is crucial our way,” Vipers coach Gerry Glasco stated. “It could be that an incredible thing to be able to go into the playoffs, that’s three wins over the final 4 games.”
Carda was dealt on Sunday, delivering the Vipers racking up 63 strikes over 101 pitches. Chelsea Gonzales, Raina O’Neal and Mikayla Allee each scored each of the Vipers with three hits.
“It certainly wasn’t an evening for us,” Gonzales said. “Ally Carda is one of the best pitchers in the world. Anything that she throws is a great pitch. We simply had to get a more efficient on the field, and a bit more focused.
“I think tomorrow will be more positive.”
Kayla Wedl led the Pride’s offense with a 2-for-2 performance, which included a home run, a double with three RBIs. Her two-run homer in the fourth innings made it 3-1.
