Chicago Bandits defeat USSSA Pride to win third NPF championship

The Chicago Bandits won their third National Pro Fastpitch championship with a 1-0 victory over the USSSA Pride on Monday night.

The Chicago Bandits won their third National Pro Fastpitch championship in eight seasons with a 1-0 victory over the USSSA Pride on Monday night in Hoover, Alabama.

Chicago scored the lone run of the deciding game on a throwing error to first base that plated Bandits shortstop Tammy Williams in the bottom of the second inning.

Former University of Tennessee star pitcher Monica Abbott led the way in the circle for the Bandits on Monday by allowing just two hits and striking out eight in a complete game shutout. Abbott, who was the league's Pitcher of the Year, was named the MVP of the championship series after recording three wins, one save and 26 strikeouts in Chicago's four playoff games.

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The Bandits swept the best-of-three championship series from the reigning-champion Pride, with 1-0 victories in both games.​

Olympic gold medalist Cat Osterman took the loss for the Pride after giving up just one unearned run on four hits, while striking out six. With the loss, Osterman's illustrious career comes to a close, as USSSA announced earlier this year that she would retire from softball at the end of the season.

- Kayla Lombardo