Desiree Serrano vs Erica Beach. Gloria the K9 is the only mascot that made it to Wisconsin. The Riptide feature Lisa Iancin, who is the assistant softball coach at George Washington University.

Top 1: 9:45 start time. Jarrod continuing to do the Podcast audio. He mentions that we are wearing our white pants, and then says "that's for you, Jim" so apparently the entire world now knows my preferences. Which is just fine, because I'm right (and Jarrod agrees with me too).

Des struggles in the first inning, walking Shanel Scott to lead off the game, then allowing her to take second on a wild pitch to Pasqurella, whose bunt attempt is then caught in the air by Des. (The wild pitch bounced so far that Oli retrieved it and almost threw her out at second). Sarah Pauly even started warming up in the bullpen about this time. After going to a 3-2 count against Angus, she got her to swing through a pitch for the second out. Leto Martin then hit a dribbler that gets past Des, and Thompson's throw to first is late. (This is the first hit in the series against the Glory. During the first pitch to Sutton, Leto Martin takes second with no throw. She then goes down looking to end the inning. (Note: Jarrod missed one of the called strikes during this at bat, then admits that, and says that this was his second error of the season, since I'm keeping track.)

Bot 1: Kretschman goes down looking, and Barber draws a walk. When Oli goes down swinging, the infielders gather at the circle to celebrate, leaving 2nd base uncovered. Barber alertly steals 2nd. It ends up not mattering, as Amber goes down swinging as well.

Top 2: Modglin singles to left, Kelley caught looking, Iancin flies out to right. Carbonatto hits a shot up the middle, but a diving stop by Thompson at second enables the force at the bag.

Bot 2: As is so often the case, a great defensive play means you get to lead off the next inning, so Thompson does. And she hits the first pitch just past the glove of Sutton in right for a triple. Moore follows with a walk, although the umpire reacted as though the pitch hit her. While Sara Larquier bats, Moore steals second, then Sara went down looking. Callie Piper hits a sac fly to center, scoring Thompson, with Moore advancing to third. Hughes ends the threat by grounding out to first, but we are up 1 after 2.

Top 3: The Riptide answered in the very next inning. Scott reached on an error by Amber, though even a clean play may not have been enough to throw the speedy Scott out at first. Scott steals second before Pasquarella grounded out to second, which allows Scott to reach third. Angus grounds out to Des, runner holds. But Scott then scores on Leto Martin's single to center. Sutton then bunts just past Des for a single, sending Pauly to the bullpen for the second time in the game. Modglin grounds out to Oli to end the inning, but the game is now tied at 1.

Bot 3: Boring inning: Kretschman caught looking (again), Barber grounds out to second, and Oli goes down swinging.

Top 4: Sarah Pauly comes in to relieve Des. Kelley draws a walk. Iancin pops up a bunt which looked like it was going to be played by Pauly on the bounce. But my UVa girl Sara shows that she can flash the leather as well as hit HRs. She made a great diving catch of the bunt, then popped up and threw to first to double-off Kelley at first. Way to go, Sara! Another walk to Carbonatto brings up Scott. Scott fouls a pitch off Callie Piper, who had to leave the game. She will be re-evaluated tomorrow, not sure where it hit her. Fairchild, who was warming up Abbott in the bullpen, replaces Piper. Scott then goes down looking to end the inning.

Bot 4: Amber walks, but gets doubled off first on Thompson's flyout to right. Moore walks, but Sara goes down swinging. Still tied at 1.

Top 5: Beach now bats, and she grounds out to Oli. Angus grounds out to Sara. Leto Martin beats out a grounder to the hole at short, but Sutton watches strike 3.

Bot 5: Jocelyn Forest comes in to pitch. We handled her easily back in June, giving her 2 losses, but she was last year's MVP of the tourney. She gets 3 quick outs: Fairchild looking, and Hughes and Kretschman groundouts to second.

Top 6: Modglin beats out a roller to Thompson that was so slow that no throw was even attempted. At this point Brooke Marnitz was putting on the catching gear to head to the bullpen, as normal catcher number 3 was busy playing third (Sara). Kelley went down looking, which was the third KL for Pauly. Iancin goes down swinging, but not before Kelley steals second. Carbonatto grounds out to second to end the inning.

Bot 6: We need to score so we can get a save opportunity for Monica. Barber walks. Oli goes down swinging. Amber lines a shot up the middle, which deflects off the leg of Forest. She chasees it down and throws to first, but Amber beats it out, and Barber goes to 2nd. Thompson flies out to left on the first pitch, runners hold. Moore walks again, loading the bases for my UVa girl Sara. But instead of hitting it deep, she just hits it high. With 2 outs, runners are moving, and the Defensive Player of the Year Jackie Pasquerella makes her first error of the season by dropping the very easy popup in the middle of the diamond. Barber scores. Fairchild grounds out to end the inning.
Top 7: Newly minted closer Monica Abbott, fresh off her no-hitter earlier in the day, comes in to get the save, but not before making it interesting. Scott walks. Pasquerella sac-bunts Scott to 2nd, getting the tie run to second. Angus goes down looking. Leto Martin, who was 3-3 in the game, swung through strike 3 to end the game.

We used all 3 of our pitchers tonight, and this shows why we want to have so many. Des struggled a little, but the run she allowed was unearned. She gave up 4 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 3. Sarah Pauly was a little sharper, allowing no runs on 2 hits, striking out 4 and walking 2. Monica threw her 8th no-hit inning of the day, allowing a walk just to add to the drama at the end of the game. Pauly earned the win, and Monica the save.

For New England, they pitched well also, but were done in by defense, which we are so good at taking advantage of. Beach gave up one earned run on 1 hit and 4 walks, while striking out 7. Forest also gave up 1 run, but it was unearned, on 1 hit and 2 walks, while striking out 2.

Offense for the Glory was very little, with just 2 hits (Thompson and Amber). But we just keep finding a way to win, just like tonight.

End Notes; Next, and hopefully final game (because I will miss the "if" game unless my games get rained out!), is approx 3:45 EDT tomorrow. Rockford and NE meet up at 1, and we play the winner, which would need to beat us twice to win it. Ain't gonna happen.