Game recap.

NPF website story. 

I finally got to see the uniform I wanted, our new white shirts paired with the white pants. As I expected, we looked sharp. Unfortunately, this was a day when Rockford did the same thing, though their whites had pinstripes.

It was another great pitching matchup tonight, Desiree Serrano vs Alison Kime.

The Glory got on board first tonight. In the second inning, Jessica Moore hit her second home run of the year, just about dead center. This ball was smoked, and the line drive just cleared the fence, as well as Kristen Zaleski's glove, as Zaleski went flying into the fence in an outstanding attempt to snag the ball. We were up 1-zip after 2.

The score was still 1-0 in the bottom of the 5th. After 2 outs, Nicole Barber singled into left field, then stole second before Courtney Bures drew a walk. LaDonia Hughes hit a ground ball to the right side which was grabbed by Lindsay Gardner, but too late to get any of the runners. She alertly looked at third, and saw Barber seemingly heading home. So she threw home, and Barber was caught in a rundown. The throw went to third, then back to home. Barber was actually able to get back to third just ahead of the throw back at this point, only to find Bures there as well. So Bures then took off back to second, and another rundown started. The throw went toward second, and Barber broke for home again. The next throw was back to home, causing Barber to reverse course once again. This time the throw back to third was in plenty of time, and she was tagged out. The official scoring lists the play as 2B to C to 3B to 1B to SS to P to C to LF. I have no idea how they did this without replay, but I'll accept it. This would put the pitcher covering second as the Bures rundown started, if you're following along at home.

While the play was certainly fun to watch, it wasn't an example of great base-running. Barber was too far off, obviously, and I think Carie was yelling at her to get back. But once the rundown began, Bures needed to stay put at second base. With two outs, there is no reason to advance like you would with fewer outs. If she's tagged out, the inning ends anyway. If you leave 3rd open for Barber and she doesn't take it and doesn't get tagged out, that means she scored. Once third is taken away, the rundown becomes much easier for the fielders.

Anyway, that play ended the 5th with the Glory still up 1 nothing. Not for long, as Shanna Diller took a 1-2 pitch deep to right for her third HR of the year. Tie game, middle of 6.

But the Glory answered right back in the home half of the inning. With two outs, Catalina Morris drew a 4 pitch walk. Sara Larquier followed with an infield hit, bringing Moore back to the plate with two on and two out. Her sinking line drive again heads toward Zaleski, this time more toward right-center. Zaleski makes another great effort, this time on a diving attempt to catch the ball, but is unsuccessful. I think she did slow the ball, which allowed right fielder Erin Evans to retreive the ball and throw home. Morris scored, and Larquier had to hold at third. Moore was credited with a single, taking second on the throw home. Her second RBI of the night gave the Glory a 2-1 lead with three outs to go.

In a very interesting move, the top of the 7th saw a new right fielder for the Glory. Jessica Dignon replaced Barber. I have no idea why, and no one would I talked to would offer a reason. Barber had made a nice diving effort in the 4th on a fly ball that was knocked down by the wind (seemingly gusting at 30 MPH), but she remained in the game after that, so I don't think it was related. It's possible it was related to the base running issue earlier in the game.

Anyway, as so often happens when a new person enters a game, the ball heads in that direction. Leading off the 7th was Savannah Brown. She laced a ball right down the right field line, just out of the reach of Dignon, for a double. I wondered if Barber might have made the play, perhaps shading her in that direction based on Brown's at-bats in this series. But Brown had only put the ball in play once (other than a bunt), and that was a grounder to third. So that kind of pull was unexpected.

Sandy Vojik moved the runner to third with a groundout to first. Audrey Rendon then pinch-hit for Beth Boden. She bounced back up the middle, but Desi was unable to glove it. The deflected ball also got by Amber Jackson at SS. Desi had a chance at the plate, but Jackson would not have, though she might have had the out at first. It was scored a single and an RBI. Erin Evans followed with a great bunt to put another runner in scoring position with just one out. But Desi got Gardner and Tonya Callahan to both pop out to Bures to end the inning, tied at 2. (Rendon stayed in to play SS for the Thunder.)

At this point, Alison, sitting next to me, expressed confidence that Jackson would win the game, if we could get to her in the lineup. We were at the bottom of the order, where Barber re-entered to bat. She grounded out to the pitcher. Bures, batting leadoff for the second straight night, hit a ground ball to the SS/3B hole. Rendon was able to get in front of the ball, very deep in the hole. It looked like Bures might beat it out, but the throw never came. The ball went right through the legs of Rendon, yet it was scored a base hit. Hughes bunted Bures to second. Everyone in the Westfield Sports Complex knew what was coming next, and I even marked my scorebook. After the intentional walk to Oli, Jackson stepped in. It looked like they might walk Jackson too, as the count was 3-1. She grounded the next pitch in the hole at second, and into right field. There would be a play at the plate, but Evans bobbled the ball just slightly, and the play wasn't close. Alison was correct: another game-winning RBI to end the game.

Desi recovered quite well from her less-than-stellar outing on Friday night. She allowed just 2 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 2. Her 5th complete game of the year was also her 8th win, against 5 losses. Kime took the loss, falling to 5-4 on the season.

End Notes: If an umpire is going to blow a call at home, big time, it's nice when it goes in our favor. We're back in the top of the 4th, two outs, and the wind is gusting in an attempt to bring in some rain. It was former Glory member Stephanie Best who hit the fly ball toward right field, which was knocked down by the wind. Barber's diving attempt was unsuccessful, and Best ended up with a double. Whoops, my bad. It was scored a single and an error, for some unknown reason. Anyway, after Brown walked, Vojik grounded the ball out to Barber in RF. Best rounded third and headed home; Barber fired. The ball beat the runner, but Best made a nice slide and beat the tag. The umpire was the only one in the park who thought she was out, but it's what he thinks that matters. Thanks, blue. And nice throw, Barber.