STARKVILLE – Annie Willis faced five hitters and induced four ground balls as she worked through 1.1 scoreless innings for the Smash It Sports Vipers in limited WPF action this week.

 

The Vipers split Series 7 with the USSSA Pride, dropping a 4-1 contest on Monday, July 18 before responding with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday, July 19. The Pride took two out of three games in Series 6.

 

On Monday, Willis came on in relief in the fifth inning of a 4-1 game with two outs and a runner. After allowing a single to center field, she got a ground ball that would retire the lead runner to end the frame.

 

In the sixth, she needed just 10 pitches to retire the side. In between a pair of ground outs to shortstop, Willis fielded her position and snuffed out a bunt attempt.

 

Fa Leilua has played in each of the Vipers last seven games in various defensive positions. Despite the shuffle, she has made just two errors this summer and her .973 fielding percentage is second among Vipers with at least 50 total chances.

 

WPF Series 8 is set to begin on Thursday, July 21 in Peoria, Illinois. The Vipers and Pride will play three games in three days at the Louisville Sports Complex.

 

Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is the official professional softball league in the United States, founded by USA Softball, USSSA and Smash It Sports. WPF replaces the former NPF and will showcase the best athletes in softball, provide a world-class experience for fans, and connect young girls to their idols.

 

The Smash It Sports and the USSSA Pride will play a series of exhibitions across the country this summer as the inaugural season will focus on highlighting the league’s launch and attracting new fans and partners. All games will stream on usssalive.com.

 

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching “HailStateSB.”