Four Former Sooners Playing in NPF

NORMAN – Just over a month into the 2016 season, four former Sooners are competing in the National Pro Fastpitch league this summer. Lauren Chamberlain, Shelby Pendley and Keilani Ricketts are all members of the USSSA Pride, while Michelle Gascoigne is in her fourth season with the Chicago Bandits.

Through July 5, the Pride is atop the six-team standings with a 16-3 record, while Gascoigne's Bandits are 10-14 and in fourth place. The top four teams in the league will compete at the 2016 NPF Championship Series, Aug. 19-23.

Ricketts leads the team with 29.2 innings pitched this year covering three starts and four relief appearances. She's 3-1 on the season with a 4.01 earned run average, a team-high 33 strikeouts and just five walks issued. Her most recent outing came on July 5 against the aforementioned Bandits where she was roughed up for five runs on 11 hits in 3.0 innings. Prior to that outing, however, Ricketts was on a roll as she had gone the last 10.1 innings without allowing a run dating back to June 23.

Last season Pendley was named the NPF Rookie of the Year and she's looking to build on that in her second season with the Pride. Starting in all 19 games, Pendley leads the team with 11 walks and is tied for the team lead with five doubles and four home runs. She's hitting .333 with a .438 on-base percentage and .617 slugging percentage, 13 runs scored, 11 runs batted in and four stolen bases.

She had one of her best games of the season Tuesday night at Chicago as she was 4-5 with double, RBI, and run scored.

While Pendley has thrived in year two of her NPF career, Chamberlain is looking to overcome a slow start in her second season. Serving as the team's designated hitter, Chamberlain is hitting just .100 in 14 games. She's 3-30 at the plate this year, but those hits have been a double and two home runs to go with five runs scored and three runs batted in. She's slugging .333 with an OBP of .270.

Gascoigne has emerged as the staff ace for the Bandits. She's third in the NPF in saves with two and is tied for fourth with 41.1 innings pitched and also leads Chicago in ERA (3.73) and strikeouts (35). Gascoigne has a 2-3 record this year with four complete games while making six starts in nine appearances.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors