Glory's MySpace blog entry coming soon?

I'm not sure if we'll be seeing a blog entry from the Glory for this game, so here is an NPF website story written by the opponent.

Game recap.

It was Desiree Serrano vs Jamee Juarez for the series finale. We needed a win to come away with a split, and continue our streak of not losing a series all year long.

We got on the board early again today, and in a bigger way this time. Nicole Barber grounded out on a comebacker, and Jessica Moore, getting a start at DP, went down looking. Typically, this would bring up Amber Jackson with the bases empty once again, but a lineup switch today had Oli batting in the number 3 spot. Oli walked, so Amber had someone on base, just in case she homered again. Which she did! So a nice coaching move here to move Amber down, which meant her league-leading 12th HR on the year was a 2-run shot. Of course, now Nichole Thompson came to the plate with the bases empty, so if she were to homer, it would have to be a solo shot. Which she did! For at least the 4th time this season, we hit back-to-back home runs. (Both were to center, by the way, and Thompson's was her 5th of the season.) Batting 6th in the lineup today was Catalina Morris, who grounded out to end the inning, but we were up 3-0.

Veronica Wootson continued to torment our pitching with a leadoff infield single. But she was stranded at second after a sac-bunt, strikeout looking, and a liner to Oli.

Neither team scored in the second. We padded our lead in the top of the third. After 2 outs (Barber groundout and Moore strikeout looking), Oli doubled to center. She reached third on a passed ball during another walk to Amber. The next play is a little unclear, but if I were to guess, it looks like Amber was going to be out stealing second, and an error on the catch by the shortstop allowed Amber to reach second and Oli to score. No stolen base was credited to Amber on the play, which is why I think she would have been out. But this is just a guess. All this happened during Thompson's at-bat, and she walked. Stepahnie Best pinch-hit for Catalina Morris, but Best went down swinging. We were up 4-0.

The home half of the third saw Akron break out the bats. Tracee McCoy singled to center. Wootson reached on a fielder's choice, but McCoy was safe at second anyway, so we missed an opportunity for an out here. Norrelle Dickson has also been a thorn in our sides this series, and she continued doing so here with a single to center to load the bases. We finally recorded an out when Iyhia McMichael lined out to 2nd. But Kristin Butler tied the game with one swing of the bat, a grand slam which was her 6th HR of the year. After a walk to the next batter, Caitlin Benyi, Des settled down and got a popup from Jenn Poore and a groundout from Kristin Johnson to end the inning. Game was now tied at 4.

The top of the 4th was uneventful, other than a two-out single from Hughes who was then thrown out stealing second.

The bottom of the 4th brought a new pitcher for the Glory. "Closer" Jen Musillo came in for the first time in the series. She went 1-2-3 to get off to a good start.

We broke the tie in the top of the 5th. Barber flew out to left, but Moore got on board with a single up the middle. Oli walked for the second time today, so again Amber came up with runners on base. No HR this time, but still an RBI single to right scored Moore. Oli forgot that she's supposed to be fast now (after an infield hit and stolen base the last two nights), so she stopped at second on Amber's hit. Brooke Marnitz came in to run for Oli. I hate to repeat myself, but if Brooke comes in when Oli's at first, Brooke gets to third on a single to right. This didn't matter today, as Thompson walked to load the bases, which knocked Juarez out of the game. Radara McHugh came in to pitch for Akron, and she shut with the door on us by striking out Morris and getting Sara Larquier to flyout to left. Lots more runners left on base, but we were up 5-4.

Akron answered right back in the home half of the 5th. Dickson grounded out, but McMichael bunted for a base hit. After all the extra innings the last two nights, Callie Piper was getting a day off, and Germaine Fairchild was behind the plate. So Akron decided to run. McMichael broke for second, and a throwing error on Fairchild allowed McMichael to reach third. Kristin Butler walked to put runners on the corners with one out. Benyi grounded to third, and Sara was able to hold the runner at third and still get the out at first (Butler to second). But Poore drove in both runners with a single to left to give Akron the lead. Musillo then struck out Johnson looking to end the inning, but we were down 1 again.

We bounced right back and tied the game in the top of the 6th. After a Fairchild strikeout, Hughes singled to center. No stolen base attempt this time, but it wasn't needed, as Nicole Barber drove in Hughes from first with a triple down the right field line, to tie the game. Moore then hit a ground ball to the shortstop. Barber broke for home, and was thrown out at the plate. I wasn't there to see who decided that Barber should try to score. I'm not sure if it was smart to send her with Oli due up, but it didn't matter as Oli struck out swinging. Tie game at 6.

The seesaw battle continued when Akron broke the tie in the bottom of the 6th. And yes, it was the pain in the *ss Veronia Wootson, who homered for the second straight game, but it was a solo shot, so we were only down 1.

Top of the 7th, last chance. Amber Jackson lead off the inning, so I can't really say anything if she hits another solo HR here. Which she did! Her 13th of the year, to right-center this time. But we didn't want to just tie, because extra innings have not been kind to us in Akron. No back-to-back this time, as Thompson walked. Morris then singled, and somehow there seemed to be an error on the catcher on this play. Perhaps it was a bunt single, and the catcher's throw to first went into right. Morris ended up at second, and Thompson scored. My UVa girl Sara Larquier has been struggling at the plate, so Jen Chamberlin came in to pinch-hit. This move worked perfectly, as Jen singled to center to score Morris. Sara went back in to run, and was forced at second on a failed sac bunt attempt by Fairchild. Hughes then forced Fairchild at second on a grounder to short, and then, for the second time today, Hughes was thrown out attempting to steal second, to end the inning. Still, we had scored 3 to give Jen a two run lead with 3 outs to go.

And those three outs were quick, too. McMichael popped up to Amber, Butler grounded to Sara, and Benyi flew out to Barber in right. Nice job Jen.

Wow, that's a lot of offense. Des and Jen did just enough to allow our bats to win the game for us tonight. Especially Amber: 3-3, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 runs scored. That's enough to win most games right there, but she had lots of help from Thompson (1 HR and 3 walks, 1 RBI, 2 runs scored), Oli (1-2 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored), and Barber (triple and an RBI). Jen Chamberlin also chipped in for a pinch-hit RBI, and the other runs were scored by Morris, Hughes, and Moore.

Jen Musillo earned her first professional victory, and McHugh's 4th loss to us dropped her to 7-5 on the year.