Game recap.

NPF website story.

Now what the heck does that headline mean? Read on.

I got there extra early, for the Home Run Derby. (I'll do a separate post on that later.) The evening started off very well, because it was the home debut (for me at least - maybe they showed up the first Sunday when I wasn't there) of our brand new white shirts, with red and blue accents. They are very sharp, and they are now my favorite. I'll bet they look even better with our white pants (we were in blue tonight). Venezuela was also in white, but their white shorts made it easy to separate the two teams.

Lisa Ferguson started the game for the Glory. After a groundout to third, catcher Cirimeli beat out an infield grounder to SS. Alicart, who killed us last year but hasn't done much this series, lined a single to center. 1st and 2nd with one out, and Fuenmayor was up. She had the grand slam on Thursday, but not this time. She went down looking, and Rojas's flyout to center ended the threat.

Bogado pitched for Venezuela. She struggled last week against NE, but pitched well in relief on Thursday, with 2 and a third shutout innings. But we ended that streak in the first inning. After a Morris groundout to second, Hughes lined a single to center, then stole second during Bures's at-bat. (No throw as the catcher dropped the ball during the wind-up.) Bures then had a great swing, waiting so well on a change-up that she hit the ball down the opposite-field (right field) line. The ball hit the fence about half-height, then rolled past the fielder. Hughes scored and Bures ended up with a triple.

We could have and should have scored more. Catcher Callista Balko was batting cleanup. She had 15 HR this past college season, and a fly ball would have brought in the second run. But for some strange reason she was asked to bunt. It might have worked if hit toward first or third, as they were not playing too close, but it went right back to the pitcher. Bogado made a nice scoop and flip to home to get Bures. After an Oli walk, Larquier popped out to end the inning. We were up 1-0 after 1.

A 2-out double from Pimintel was not enough for Venezuela in the 2nd, as she was stranded by Puerta with an unassisted putout by Oli.

Lots of base-runners for the Glory in the home half. After her pinch-hit appearance last night contributed 1 of the 3 hits on the night, Bianca Cruz got a start as the DP. With one out, she drew a walk. Moore then singled to right, as did Morris. Cruz was held at third, so the bases were loaded for Hughes. Her come-backer left the bases loaded, as Bogado threw home for the force. The Venezuela coach visited, as the next batter Bures had just missed a HR in the first. Who knows what he said, but Bogado threw four straight balls to Bures, giving her another RBI. Balko could not add to the lead, as she went down swinging on a nice change up. We're up 2-0 after 2.

It was Venezuela's turn for base runners in the third. Ferguson got the first out with her glove, making a nice grab on a comebacker from Soto. Cirimeli then hit a hard shot to third, which bounced off Sara and into foul outfield ground. Our soon-to-be-departed scorekeeper/stats guy Steve reads this, and he knows better than to give my UVa girl Sara an error, so it was scored a hit. (Steve is movin' on up to the Miami Dolphins next month. Congrats, Steve.) Alicart continued to remind us of last year, hitting a soft liner to left for a single. Fuenmayor drew a walk, loading the bases with one out. Rojas grounded to Larquier at third, and she double-clutched, perhaps realizing she had a play at the plate. Since it was a force, she got the out at home, but it was very close. Sojo then chopped a ball to second, and a nice short-hop grab by a charging Bures enabled a toss to Oli to end the inning.

Oli started the top of the 4th, with what might be called a Westfield HR to center on a 3-1 pitch. Last night's HR, her first of the year, gave her the sole all-time lead among active players, with 26. Her 27th moved her into a tie for first among all players (active or inactive) with Iyhia McMichael. We then went 1-2-3 to keep our pattern of 1-run-per-inning intact. Up 3-0 after 3.

The shutout ended in the top of the 4th. Perez walked on a 3-2 count. Pimintel struck out looking. Puerta then lined the ball between 3rd and SS for a single. Back to the top of the order for Soto, who lined softly to left to load the bases. Coach Carrie must have been worried, as Desi came in to relieve Ferguson. Cirimeli's comebacker to Desi preserved the shutout a little longer, as she threw home for the force. Alicart, still hitting like it's 2007, doubled to the gap in left center, scoring 2. Desi then got Fuenmayor to pop out to second to preserve our lead (up 3-2).

Now, with a 3-2 game, the Venezuela coach decided to switch pitchers, bringing in someone we have not seen. Ramirez also did not pitch against NE last week, which might have contributed to her walk to alternate leadoff (number nine hitter) Moore to start the inning. Actual leadoff Morris then dropped a beautiful bunt, complete with backspin, between home and pitcher, for a single. Hughes attempted to bunt, twice, but then had to swing away, and ended up with a bloop single to right.

The Venezuela coach decided that this Ramirez had to go, after just 3 batters, so Thursday night starter Castellano came in, with the bases loaded and no outs, 1-run game. So, no pressure. Here's the ball, now work out of this jam. Bures was the first batter she faced, and her third at-bat of the night resulted in her third RBI of the night. But it was also the first out of the inning, on a groundout to short. Balko does not have "catcher's speed," as she displayed while beating out an infield single to re-load the bases. Would we score more than one run this inning and break our pattern. Oli says yes. She lined a no-doubter over center for a grand slam. Her 28th HR gives her sole possession of the all-time NPF lead.

Continuing on, Cambria Miranda pinch hit for Sara, but popped out to SS. Amber Jackson then got her first hit of the series with a grounder up the middle. Cruz's popup ended the inning, but we were up 8-2 after 4.

During the prior 10 or 15 minutes, a storm seemed to be brewing. There was lightening seen in the distance, and the wind was picking up. During the warmups for the top of the 5th, the umps gathered and talked, but play continued. And playing 3rd in place of Sara was Jessica Dignon, though she would not be tested tonight. The crowd was clamoring for a quick inning, to make it an official game. Desi seemed to take her time deciding what to pitch, and Balko dropped a pitch or two and seemed in no hurry to retrieve it, but eventually we got two outs on a popup to left and a liner to left. The lightening had grown closer, so with one out to go, more talking among umps, this time including Coach Carrie and some electronic device which apparently showed imminent danger. "One more out" the crowd chanted (okay, that was just me). Play continued again, and Desi got to 2 strikes on Perez. Just as the next pitch was thrown, a bright bolt lit up the sky in center. I think the ump saw that, so strike three was called on a pitch that might not otherwise have been a strike. At least the game was now official.

After more discussion, we were told to take shelter in our cars. Many left, some waited. Players came out with their gear, only to load up their cars and drive back into the field. Eventually the umps came out, and we learned the game had been called. We were kinda glad, since the game had already lasted 2 hours, and we still had 2 innings to go. So home we all went, though we never saw rain.

Ferguson pitched decently, giving up just 2 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 3. I say decently because that number of hits and walks could easily have meant more runs. Still, she got the win, her third of the season against zero losses. Desi got one K and gave up 1 hit in 1 and 2/3 innings. Bogado took the loss.

Oli was obviously the hero of the game, so why did I mention Larquier in the headline? Well, Nicole Barber has been absent the last two games, and she is usually the one who braids Oli's hair. I saw Sara doing this last night, and Oli hit her first HR of the season. I wrote it off as coincidence, but after 2 more tonight, it has to be the magic of Sara's braiding. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

End Notes: Barber's absence is due to a wedding, which I am told is not her own.

A source told me that there was an excess of candy in the dugout tonight. So, in the middle of the first, Moore stepped onto the field and started throwing it at the VIP seats. Apparently there was still to much in the third, because the top of that inning saw Miranda and Dignon walk into the home-side General Admission seats and hand out some more. They then sat with some little girls and helped them cheer during the inning. Pretty cool

Still too much candy, so Larquier and Morris took some with them to the field for warmups prior to the top of the 4th. Literally, there was a pile of candy at Morris's feet as she was tossing the ball to Hughes in center. After warmups, both ladies tossed the excess into the third base side general admission seats.