Game recap.

NPF website story. 

It was a great night at the Westfield Softball Complex, because Gloria was serving a 1-game suspension for being ejected during our last homestand.

The matchup of the team's aces pitted Sarah Pauly against Serena Settlemier. But the pitching duel lasted only one-half inning.

Although Pauly issued a leadoff walk to Kristen Zaleski, she sent the next 3 batters down in order in the top of the first.

We reversed that in the home half. The leadoff batter, Nicole Barber, made an out, then the next three batters did not. Catalina Morris hit her 4th HR of the season. Oli followed with a single. And after numerous fan requests, Olishowed the speed previously displayed only on the road. She stole her second base of the season, breaking her single-season high set last year (1). Unfortunately, Amber Jackson made the stolen base irrelevant, with a no-doubt HR just to the left of the scoreboard in right field, her 3rd of the year. (Jeez, Amber, if we'd known you were going to hit it out, Oli could have saved the stolen base for another time.) Although Bures drew the first of her two walks on the night, and then stole second, that was all the scoring for a while. We were up 3-0 after 1 inning.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the second and third innings. Pauly took a no-hitter into the 4th, and got Lindsay Gardner looking to start the inning. (And by looking, I mean Gardner gave a nasty look to the ump.) But rookie-of-the-year candidate Tonya Callahan hit her 6th HR of the year, breaking up the no-hitter and the shutout with one swing. That would be it for the Thunder on the night.

But not for the Glory. In the bottom of the fifth, Jessica Moore (starting in LF tonight) got the inning going with the first of her two walks on the night. Barber's near-perfect sac-bunt moved Moore to second, and she nearly beat the throw to first. Moore moved to third on a passed ball, but Catalina Morris's fly to right was not deep enough to score her. Oli then treated the fans to her second display of speed on the night. She hit a shot to left that one-hopped the short fence, then barely beat the throw to second for a double and an RBI. Oli had now made a believer out of Amber Jackson. So rather than drive her in with another HR, she made Oli work for it with a base hit. Okay, it was a double off the fence in right, which bounced back past the outfielder, so Oli didn't have to work too hard, but still, she couldn't just jog home like she did in the first inning. With 5 runs on the board, and Pauly in the circle, the Glory put the bats away to save them for another night. We were up 5-1 after 5.

After another 1-2-3 inning from Pauly, both teams brought in new pitchers. Cassidy Scoggins faced the Glory in the bottom of the sixth, walking 2 and striking out 2 after a leadoff diving catch by Amanda Williams along the left field line. Taryne Mowatt pitched the 7th for the Glory, giving up a walk among 3 groundouts. No drama tonight, for a change.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Pauly pitched another great game tonight. She gave up just the one HR in 6 innings, walking 2 and striking out 7. Her win is her 9th on the season, bringing her back into a tie for first in the league (with Eileen Canney). She remains alone at the top in ERA (1.06) and second to Canney in strikeouts with 84. Settlemier drops to 1-5 on the year.

What is definitely not a broken record: Pauly got some help from the offense tonight. We started out living off HRs again, but later proved we could score with clutch, 2-out base hits. Jackson was 2-3 with a HR, a double, and 3 RBIs, and Oli was 2-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Not to mention her stolen base! And of course Morris joined in the fun with her HR as well. We left 6 runners on base, which might seem a little high, but is much better than we've been doing lately.

End Notes: LaDonia Hughes was announced as unable to play due to injury. She's been beaten up by fences while making some nice catches in the last couple of weeks, so she's getting some well-deserved rest. She's also out recruiting for her school while healing.

The Battle of the Bats makeup that was postponed in Rockford will be made up on Friday night. Get there by 6:15 to see all the action.