NPF website story. 

The home finale was a matchup of Lisa Ferguson for the Glory and Jamee Juarez for Akron. Fergie hadn't pitched in a while, and it was evident from the beginning. And apparently expected, as Taryne Mowatt was warming up almost from the first pitch.

Just as she did in the series opener, Veronica Wootson, fresh off her HR last night, started off the game by drawing a walk. Norelle Dickson sac-bunted her to second, and one out later, she scored on a single to left by Susan Ogden. For the first time this series, the Glory trailed.  After a walk to Kate Robinson to put runners on first and second, Coach Carie came to visit Fergie. The very next pitch produced the last out of the inning, though just barely, on a grounder to Oli who tossed to Bures covering just in time. We were down 1-0 before our first at-bats.

Surprisingly, and somewhat disconcertingly, we failed to answer. It was a 1-2-3 inning, though Nicole Barber was retired only because of a nice play by Ogden on her liner to RF. Down 1 after 1.

Two quick outs started the top of the second, bringing up number 9 batter India Chiles. Her bunt was fielded cleanly by Fergie, who maybe rushed her throw a little and threw it inside the bag for a two-base error. But she got Wootson to go down swinging to end the inning, and treat the fans to the Florida State fight song once again.

Turns out that the only reason we didn't answer in the first was because Amber Jackson never got to bat. She took the second pitch over the fence in center for her 5th HR, though not as far as last night's. But it still counted, and the game was tied at 1 after two innings.

The top of the third started with another fielding chance for Fergie, and this time her throw was on target to retire Dickson. Kristen Butler nearly put her team ahead again, but her Warning Track Power fly fell into the glove of Jessica Moore in LF. Ogden then singled sharply to left, and Kate Robinson followed with a ground single up the middle. That was the end of the night for Fergie, and Mowatt came in to pitch. Jessica Toocheck became the 5th straight strikeout victim for Mowatt, dating back to Saturday night, to end the threat. Another 1-2-3 inning from Juarez left the game tied after 3 innings.

To start the top of the 4th, Mowatt struck out her 6th straight Racer, all swinging. That might be some sort of record. (I do remember Sarah Pauly striking out 5 straight to start a game earlier this year, July 3 against Chinese Taipei.) Mowatt had also struck out 7 of her last 8 batters, and 10 of her last 13, again going back to Saturday. Finally Akron started making contact, and the next two outs were a popout and a lineout.

After the second straight 1-2-3 Glory inning, we were still tied after 4.

The 5th started with Wootson determined not to hear her FSU song again, so she got aboard with a great bunt. Dickson lined the next pitch to left for a single, putting runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Catcher Kristin Butler worked the count to 3-2, and swung at the next pitch. It appeared that she fouled the ball off herself, as it went rolling back out to the mound. But both runners ran, and stayed on the bags not planning to leave. Eventually the umps got together and forced them back to 1st and 2nd, but then Butler was no longer batting and there was one out. This confused everyone, including Akron's coach, who asked the ump what the heck was going on. Whatever he said satisfied her. My guess is that Butler was actually hit by the pitch, but she swung so it was strike three. But since it hit her, it was a dead ball, and the runners had to go back. With order restored, Mowatt struck out Ogden for the second out, and induced a groundout to Bures at second from Robinson to end the inning.

Shockingly, the Glory went in order again in the bottom of the 5th. Through 5 innings, they had had only 1 hit and 1 runner (the Jackson HR). Juarez was really mowing us down. (And what fool thought we might see Tincher again tonight?) Still tied after 5.

But Mowatt was also pitching well, keeping us in the game. A leadoff lineout to SS from Toocheck was out number one in the top of the 6th. Angelina Mexicano pinch-hit for Kim Hamilton, and drew a walk. Hamilton went back in to run, and run she did as she stole second, beating the one-hop throw from Callista Balko. Of course, sometimes a stolen base comes back to haunt you, as it did her. After another Mowatt strikeout, this time of Shannon Doepking, India Chiles batted with two outs. Because Chiles is a threat to bunt, Sara Larquier had to play way in from the bag at third. This meant that SS Jackson had to play way over toward third in case the runner on second broke for third. Chiles did not bunt, and her high chopper bounced over Larquier. But Jackson was able to cut if off to keep the ball from getting to left. She had no play except for the runner coming behind her from second. With no force, Jackson made a very nice play to turn around, find the runner, and tag her before she got to third, all while running toward third herself. An excellent defensive play erased the scoring threat and ended the inning.

At this point the Glory had a choice. Score in the 6th or create some more walk-off magic in the final home game. Although the latter would have been more of a storybook ending, they chose the former. Balko started the inning with a walk. Would-be pinch-hitter Cambria Miranda was called back, and Moore remained in the game to bat. Likely because she is a better bunter, as she laid down a nice sac-bunt to move Balko to second. Hughes advanced Balko to third with a groundout to second, but It would now take a hit to score the run.

What followed was something I don't think I've ever seen. Pitching carefully to Barber, the count reached 3-0. Akron then chose to intentionally throw ball 4 (the catcher stood up and everything), to pitch to Oli. On paper it might have seemed reasonable. Barber was 2-2 off Juarez last night, and 3-3 plus a HBP for the whole game. Oli had been struggling a little, going 0 for her last 5, plus a walk, including two looking Ks against Juarez in that span. But if you look closely at that paper, you see it says O-L-I, which spells Oli. With the game on the line, one does not walk a batter to pitch to Oli.

During the first pitch to Oli, Barber stole second uncontested. With the count 2-2, Oli showed why she's Oli. Her 3-run HR over the fence in left put the game away, as we lead 4-1 after 6. (This was her 13th of the season, tying my Uva girl Sara Larquier for the NPF lead.)

There was still a little room for some drama in the 7th. Wootson lead off the inning with a strikeout, so she was serenaded by her fight song one last time. Dickson singled up the middle, and Kristin Butler hit a towering fly to center. LaDonia Hughes tracked it to the fence, but then slightly mis-timed her jump. Still, she caught the ball on her way back down, just at the top and perhaps slightly over it, and she fell to the ground. We weren't immediately sure she caught it, and neither was Dickson. But Hughes jumped up and fired back to first, just a split-second too late to double her up and end the game. It was one of the best catches of the year at Westfield. (I think Moore's diving catch in foul left field, down 7-2 in the 7th inning on July 18th, was slightly better, but Hughes's was still a great catch.) And since the game, and home season, couldn't end on a great defensive play, Mowatt ended it with her 7th strikeout, as Ogden went down swinging for the second straight time. (All 7 Ks were swinging tonight, as are 50 of 58 on the season!)

Just like the last time Mowatt pitched, all the Glory runs came on HRs tonight: A solo from Amber and a 3-run shot from Oli. These were the only 2 hits of the game for the Glory, so we certainly got the most bang for the buck tonight. We didn't leave any runners on base tonight, partially thanks to the HRs, but also because we didn't get but 2 hits.

Fergie pitched decently for someone who hasn't pitched since July 25th (over 2 weeks ago). She allowed 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2 in 2,2 innings. Mowatt, of course, pitched exceedingly well once again. She allowed no runs on 3 hits and 1 walk, striking out 7. She evens her record at 4-4 on the season. Juarez gave up just 2 hits, but since they were both home runs, they kinda hurt. Especially since both her walks were in front of the second HR. She falls to 0-6 on the year.
 

End Notes: Akron tried something not often seen. As Mowatt warmed up when she entered the game, the Akron runners from first and second huddled around their coach at 3rd. When play resumed, there were runners at 1st and 3rd. Good try, but Larquier caught them and sent the runner from third back to second. Cheaters never win, right?

Okay, to be fair, the Oli HR was very nearly the third out of the inning. Her hit was a very high fly ball that just cleared the fence in left, and was almost caught by Chiles (possibly even hitting her glove). She likely would have caught it, except she was playing way too far in, and couldn't get back in time to wait on the ball, even as high as it was hit. I have no idea why she was playing in, unless it was to keep the runner at second from scoring on a single. But with the way Mowatt was pitching, it might have been smarter to play for the out and possibly allow 2 runs, since 1 run was just as damaging. But the storybook ending says the HR was way out of here.

Rockford beat Philly tonight, to drop them 2 games back of us. Chicago still trails by one game, and it is Chicago that we cannot tie. As we head to NE, the teams below us will be at home. Chicago is hosting Rockford while Philly hosts Akron. This will really be an interesting final weekend, as the race for the 4th and final spot is even closer than the race for first, and the 2 losers in that race will stay home.