Rosemont, Il. (August 7, 2019) – It only took five innings for the Bandits to defeat the Beijing Eagles, 9-1, on Wednesday night. With the victory and a loss by the USSSA Pride, the Bandits clinched the regular-season title for the first time since 2013.

The Eagles pitchers were unable to silence the bats of the Bandits, who scored nine runs on ten hits. The 4-5-6-7 batters for the Bandits, Gwen Svekis, Hannah Flippen, Courtney Gano, and Katie Reed, combined to go 10-12 with seven RBIs, seven runs scored and six extra-base hits.

Rachele Fico held the Eagles offense in check, allowing one run on three hits and six strikeouts.

The offensive barrage by the Bandits began in the second inning when Gano hit an RBI single. The second run of the inning was eventually scored by pinch-runner Savannah Heebner after an error by the Eagles. The Bandits added three more runs in the bottom of the third inning, when Svekis, Flippen, Gano hit back-to-back-to-back doubles. A single by Katie Reed accounted for the third RBI of the inning.

Even though the Bandits were leading 6-0 after three innings, they refused to give in, scoring four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Svekis started the scoring in the fourth with an RBI single, driving in Amanda Chidester. Flippen, the next batter, cleared the bases with a massive three-run home run, making the score 9-0.

Yuan Huaining drove in the only run for the Eagles on a double in the bottom of the fifth inning but was thrown out trying to advance to third base.

Because they clinched the regular-season title, the Bandits will be the home team for the first and second games of the Cowles Cup, as well as the potential fifth game.

The Bandits will face the USSSA Pride in a two-game series on August 10 and 11, before the teams face off again in the Cowles Cup, beginning on August 15, 2019, at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.

Box Score

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ABOUT CHICAGO BANDITS
Since 2005, the Chicago Bandits have been members of the National Pro Fastpitch league. Entering their 14th season as a franchise, the Bandits have provided the Chicago area with high-level softball talent and entertainment en route to capturing six regular-season titles and four Cowles Cup championships, the most recent coming during the 2016 campaign. Located in Rosemont, the Bandits play at Parkway Bank Sports Complex, one of the premier softball facilities in the nation. Parkway Bank Sports Complex is the only stadium in the country built exclusively for a women’s professional softball team. The Bandits provide an opportunity for female fastpitch softball players to further their careers at the professional level and has included legendary figures such as Jennie Finch, Tammy Williams, and Stacy May-Johnson.

About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2004, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in fastpitch softball beyond their collegiate and amateur success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Aussie Peppers of Minnesota, Beijing Shougang Eagles, Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Pride. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, Canada, China, and Mexico, and represent the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.