The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Comets lose again, are 0-4 at Sprenger
USSSA Pride take 6-0 lead before Cleveland stages three-run rally
The Cleveland Comets lost, 6-3, to the USSSA Pride on Aug. 6 at Sprenger Stadium. Pride starter Jolen Henderson tossed five strong innings, giving up three hits, zero earned runs, zero walks and struck out five.
Comets starter Devin Brown
went the distance, giving up nine hits, five earned runs and a pair of walks.
The Comets have gone 0-4 during their stint in Avon, but unlike in prior games, they fought back in this one.
“I thought we had a good little fight at the end of the game, so it’s good to see we still had fight at the end,” said Jenna Lilley, who went 2-for-4. “Henderson did a good job of moving the ball around and using her change-up, and the same thing with (Paige) Parker, too.”
The Comets had six hits to the Pride’s nine.
Pride catcher Chelsea Goodacre smacked a two-run home run to right field in the top of the second, before Bianka Beil ripped a RBI double in the third scoring Megan Wiggins for a 3-0 lead.
The Comets had missed opportunities, including in the bottom of the fourth when they got back-to-back singles before failing to do more.
The Pride took a 6-0 lead after Kelly Kretschman hit a tworun RBI single in the fifth and Shelby Pendley hit a solo home run in the sixth.
The Comets had some success hitting relief pitcher Paige Parker, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth including a two-run double from Jade Rhodes. Two batters later, Liu Feifei ripped a RBI single to cut it, 6-3.
“I thought we did a great job of getting runners on,” Comets manager Charlotte Morgan said. “We got a few key hits but we just got to have that one last big punch. I thought Devin threw a
great game, Pride came out and did a great job executing. So I thought overall we weren’t bad, but I think we just had one hit too short.”
Playing on a professional baseball field, the losses haven’t spoiled the Comets’ experience. They know the value of this six-game swing and are making the most of it.
“We’ve really enjoyed it,” Morgan said. “It’s very professional and everyone that works here at this stadium has been phenomenal. It’s a professional atmosphere which is nice to have. And to maybe get some hometown fans see us play consistent in one
place is good. We haven’t had that because we’ve been bouncing around on the road.”
The Comets are a new team to the National Pro Fastpitch League, and most of the players haven’t played in the league. It’s an adjustment that’s been rough on them.
“And then you ask them to travel all summer to a lot of different venues,” Morgan added. “It’s tough. It’s a grueling season and we play a lot of games in short times. I think they’ve done a great job adapting and getting better. But I think it will be nice to get a home stadium for them.”