Chicago Bandits Go Back-to-Back, Claim 2016 Cowles Cup
(Photo: Michael Steuerwald/Twitter)
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Throughout the 2016 NPF Season, the Chicago Bandits embraced adversity, every time the team looked to be down and out they would respond with an impressive display of fundamental softball. The team throughout the season came together and their hard work and dedication paid off on Tuesday night.
Before the season began, the Bandits were dealt a heavy blow in their pitching rotation with Monica Abbott moving on from the team, and signing a one million dollar deal with the newly formed Scrap Yard Dawgs. The departure of Abbott made headlines but the Bandits also had to deal with player retirements and others moving on from the organization as well.
Head coach Mike Steuerwald and General manager Aaron Moore had to work together to build a team that could compete for the season… and they did just that. “These 23 players have been the most fun group, minus the softball at one point in the season. Then in the second half, they decided to add the softball to that.” Steuerwald said during the press conference after winning Game two to force a decisive Game three in the NPF championship.
A big part of the mid season turnaround came from players like Angel Bunner, a south paw out of Auburn and the performance of leaders such as Taylor Edwards and Brittany Cervantes. Bunner had not pitched in the NPF since 2014 but the Bandits were in need of pitchers and after acquiring Angel, she added a veteran presence in the rotation that until that point, the Bandits lacked. Chicago began to peak at the right moment and earned a spot into the NPF Championship Series against former pitcher Monica Abbott and the Scrap Yard Dawgs.
NPF Championship Series vs. Scrap Yard Dawgs
(Photo: Bill Diehm/ National Pro Fastpitch)
In game one, the Bandits started the series off with a blast, literally. Cervantes and Amanda Kamekona went back to back in the first inning to give Chicago a 3-0 lead. The Bandits would not look back and would chase Abbott from the game handing her only her second loss of the season earning an 11-2 game one victory. Cervantes said after the game, “We want to defend it (Cowles Cup)… and were here to play!”
Although the Bandits would drop game two to the Dawgs, 10-1 they remained confident in their ability to finish the series going into game three. Pulling off the upset and moving into the finals would be no easy task especially with Abbott taking the circle in game three. However, the Bandits responded to the challenge. Angel Bunner and Shelby Turnier combined to give up only four hits and allowed one run in the decisive game. Giving the Bandits a shot to defend their title against the regular season champion, USSSA Pride.
2016 Cowles Cup Championship
(Photo: Bill Diehm/ National Pro Fastpitch)
In a rematch of the Cowles Cup Championship from a year ago, the USSSA Pride and Chicago Bandits met again with a title on the line. Both teams came in looking for their franchises’ fourth championship. In game one the Pride displayed why they finished the regular season in first place, timely hitting and excellent pitching. Keilani Ricketts, filled in perfectly for the retired Cat Osterman this season but the Bandits had one more game to keep their season alive. “Obviously we don’t like to make it easy… we’ll come back ready to play!” Cervantes said of the Bandits following the game one loss.
In game two, on the verge of elimination in a best of three championship series, the Bandits responded. After trailing, 2-1 in the bottom of the 4th inning, Chicago would get their own timely hitting from the lineup, scoring five runs to take a 6-2 lead. The rest of the game became a slugfest until Shelby Turnier came in and again quieted some of the best bats in the game. Turnier would go 2.2 innings in relief and helped propel the Bandits into a decisive game three, holding off the Pride 11-5.
“I keep telling myself I love to be in that situation… I think that kind of relates to the way that I pitch!” Turnier told reporters after the game. Turnier, a rookie out of Central Florida became the go to closer for the Bandits and her performance gave the Bandits life. “Im just excited to be still playing one more game… It’s going to be fun” said Cervantes who went 2-4 with 3RBIs.
Game three was all a fan of the game could ask for, a pitching duel, phenomenal defense and clutch hitting by both teams. It would be Keilani Ricketts for the Pride going against Angel Bunner of the Bandits. Bunner took the circle for Chicago, in the most important game of her career and displayed a level of confidence and composure unmatched. In the third inning, veteran leaders, Taylor Edwards and Brittany Cervantes, hit back-to-back homeruns against Ricketts to give the Bandits a 2-0 lead. Angel would do the rest, going six innings and avoided several threats from the Pride to keep the Bandits ahead. The lone blemish, first ever triple crown winner, Kelly Kretschman, who sent a shot to right field to cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fifth.
In the seventh, the rookie, Turnier came in to close it out for the Bandits. Shelby would get a 1-2-3 bottom half to earn the save and Chicago defended their title, becoming the first team to go back to back since the Pride in 2013-2014. After finishing the regular season 23-25, the Bandits pulled off back-to-back upsets to win back-to-back titles.
Since 2005, the Bandits have been a household name in National Pro Fastpitch and in the last six years have claimed three Cowles Cups, all against the USSSA Pride. This championship becomes their fourth in franchise history the most of any team in the NPF.
Brittany Cervantes got a hit in each series and had 3HRs with 6 RBIs. Earning her the Most Valuable Player of the Championship Series!
