Mary Iakopo is in a much different place this season from last year.
That place was a pretty good one Tuesday night, when Iakopo hit a walk-off two-run homer to lift the Chicago Bandits to a stunning 5-4 victory over the Oklahoma City Spark at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.
“I think I was just grateful to be here last year,” said Iakopo, a catcher who was 2-for-22 for the Bandits in 11 games played last year. “This year, I’m making a statement. I want to have my teammates’ backs, especially because of how close our team was last year.”
The Bandits entered the bottom of the seventh down 4-2 to the Spark, who had gotten outstanding relief pitching from rookie Maya Johnson. Tianna Bell led off the bottom of the seventh against Johnson with a home run to left field.
One out later, Jocelyn Erickson doubled, and Iakopo homered to right-center field. The wind was blowing out hard in that direction, but Iakopo still had to execute.
“I was watching Tianna Bell,” Iakopo said. “I was like, ‘Surely they’re not going to come inside again.’ I kept rolling over to the shortstop over and over and over again. If you’re going to continue to do something and make a mistake, you’re going to find yourself on the bench. So I told our first-base coach when he came up to me, ‘I’m driving it to right field.’”
And drive it she did, to help the Bandits (2-4) to their second straight victory. Jessica Clements hit her first home run of the season for the Bandits in the second inning. Despite the favorable hitting conditions, the Bandits got good pitching from starter Odicci Alexander-Bennett, who pitched four innings and gave up six hits and three runs.
Lefty Taylor McQuillin finished strong, with three innings of three-hit, one-run ball.
The hard-hitting Spark (3-3) were looking to win their second straight series. They got homers from Delanie Wisz, Jessi Warren and Maya Brady. Wisz’s homer was her fourth of the season, and Brady’s was her third.
Johnson worked five innings in relief of Ruby Meylan and gave up nine hits and three runs.
“Obviously a tough one, a tough pill to swallow,” said Spark coach Amber Flores. “Those hurt. I thought Maya did a really good job. Came in and did some really good stuff out of the bullpen. I liked the way we swung it today, honestly. Hit the ball hard. Lined out a couple times. They just found a way to win it in the seventh.”
Bruce Miles has covered sports in the Chicago area for 47 years, including baseball, hockey, football and Athletes Unlimited Softball League. He covered the Chicago Cubs in their historic run to the World Series title in 2016. He has written stories for Athletes Unlimited since 2020.
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