Game recap.

NPF website story.

We got a marketing email today announcing Mowatt as the starter tonight, so I thought that Venezuela wouldn't be scoring many runs. Venezuela has some pitchers really playing well, so I assumed that we would have trouble scoring as well. I was half right, but it was the wrong half.

Mowatt struggled with the umpire's strike zone in the first, walking the first batter of the game, Soto. Soto immediately tested catcher Callista Balko's arm, stealing second on the first pitch to Sojo. The throw ended up in center field, but was backed up well by LaDonia Hughes. Sojo sacrificed Soto over to third to put the heat on Mowatt early in the game. Mowatt got Alicart to pop out to first, then Fuenmayor on a come-backer to get out unscathed. The second inning was much better, with 2 Ks and another popup to Oli.

Facing the Glory for Venezuela tonight Marianella Castellanos, who pitched very well against us last year (1 earned run, 8 innings). She did well again tonight. The only inning we scored on her was the second. Callista Balko got things started with a shot that 1-hopped the left field fence, for a double. Castellanos then struck out Callie Piper and Amber Jackson. Catalina Morris took one for the team (right in the keister) to bring up Barber. She hit a deep shot to the fence in center. The fielder nearly made a nice play, but missed the ball, then ran into the fence so hard it knocked her down. Barber got a triple and two RBIs out of it. That was about it for us. We got runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs three other times, but couldn't come up with the clutch hit to score any runs.

So Mowatt now had a 2-run lead, but things unraveled for her in the third. After 2 quick outs, leadoff batter Soto doubled to right-center. There was a play at second, but the throw was to the outfield side of second, and Amber Jackson made an awkward two-handed catch on the bounce, delaying the tag enough to allow Soto to slide in safely. Mowatt again struggled to throw strikes, walking both Sojo and Alicart to load the bases for Fuenmayor. (Although the 3-2 pitch to Alicart looked too close to take from my angle.) Fuenmayor then took the very next pitch and sent it way out over left, for a grand slam. Mowatt struck out the next batter to end the inning, but it was too late.

After a 1-2-3 4th, Mowatt got into more trouble in the 5th. The number 9 hitter Rodriguez hit a shot back up the middle which deflected off Mowatt's glove. Amber charged, picked up, but throw softly to first for some reason, and the runner was safe. Leadoff batter Soto then hit a single so hard to center that Hughes had a force play at second, but Amber was not on the bag, and the throw ended up coming all the way in to Mowatt in the circle. A walk to Sojo loaded the bases with no outs. We got lucky with Alicart, as her line shot was right at Bures at second, who tossed to Oli at first for a double play. With a runner on third and two outs, Fuenmayor hit a hard bouncer to Sara at third, who got in front of it, knocked it down, picked it up and fired to first in time for the out. Still down 4-2.

Sarah Pauly came in to start the 6th, and had a 1-2-3 inning, with 2 Ks. But the 7th was a different story. The first pitch of the inning, to DP Puerta, was deposited deep over the center field fence for a solo HR. After a swinging K, leadoff batter Soto bunted hard up the middle. It looked like Pauly's ball, but then she backed off and let Larquier have it. I didn't hear Sara call it, and she really had no chance at the runner herself by this time, so Pauly definitely should've taken it. But Pauly came back and struck out the next two batters, so it didn't matter.

Bottom line is, they hit when they needed to, and we didn't, so they won and we lost. Mowatt gave up 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks, while striking out 4. She takes the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season. Pauly struck out 5 in just 2 innings, but also gave up 2 hits which included a HR.

End Notes: We were in our blue shirts, for the first time this season that I've seen. They finally had names on them! (The red ones had names last season.)

Some of you may know that Taryne Mowatt wears some distinctive headbands. She makes them herself, and soon, these will be available for sale from the Glory. I think we might see additional hand-made items from some of the other ladies as well.