Game recap.

NPF website story.

Tonight was the professional debut for the two additions from Arizona, Taryne Mowatt and battery-mate Callista Balko. Desiree Serrano got the start, and pitched 5 innings before giving way to Mowatt. Desi gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. However, two more Glory errors made both runs unearned. Mowatt pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk. Both pitchers struck out 1 batter.

Jamie Juarez and Norrelle Dickson both returned from wherever they were hiding to play against us. Akron also had a professional debut, with Angela Tincher's first start. She had no-hit Team USA in March, so how would we do against her? Well, batter number 2 was Catalina Morris, who hit 67% of her HRs last season against Akron. She welcomed Tincher to the big leagues with a home run, just in case Angela had any ideas about a no hitter. (And of course the shutout was gone as well.)

Two innings later, Courtney Bures thought, if Morris can do it, I can too. Another solo shot gave us a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the third.

The bottom half saw errors by Sara Larquier and Desi leading to an unearned run, to cut the lead in half.

My UVa girl promptly atoned for the error with a leadoff HR. (Plus, she didn't want Bures to have the league lead in HRs all to herself for long.) One out later, LaDonia Hughes drew a walk and scored on a double from Nicole Barber. That was all she wrote for the pitcher from Va Tech. She was replaced by our nemesis, Jamee Juarez. But Morris likes playing Akron, so it didn't matter who was on the mound. She drove in Hughes with a single. No more runs scored, but we were up 5-1.

The home half saw another unearned run score on a walk, passed ball, and a double. 5-2 after 4.

The top of the 5th was the debut for Balko, who came in to run for Callie Piper, then stayed in to catch Desi. Piper had earned the first of two 2-out walks, which lead to Radara McHugh coming in to pitch, likely saving Juarez for Thursday's game.

The last of the scoring came in the top of the 6th. The bases were loaded thanks to an Oli walk, Amber Jackson single, and Larquier single, bringing Balko to the plate. She made her presence felt with a 2-run single to left single. The inning ended with Larquier trying to reach third on the single, but both runs counted. 7-2 us.

Overall, it was a hit parade against the trio of Akron pitchers. The Glory had 11 hits total, including 3 from Morris and 2 from Larquier. Akron countered by stealing just about whenever they got on base. Kristen Butler stole second in the 2nd, then India Chiles, Veronica Wootson, and Norrelle Dickson all stole second in the 3rd. In addition to the stolen base, Dickson continued to be a pain to us with 2 singles tonight.

Serrano improves to 2-2 on the year. Tincher falls to 0-1.

End notes: Last year, there was some mention of Oli's hidden speed. She sometimes breaks it out to beat out an infield single. And there was even a report last year that she stole a base. This was only a rumor, as I believe it happened on the road. Well, she did it again: another road-game steal from Oli. One of these days, she's going to have to treat the home fans to that hidden talent.