NPF website story. 

Another series opener, another battle of the aces. Former Hokie Angela Tincher came to visit, facing Sarah Pauly.

We expected a typical pitcher's duel, meaning runs would be few and far between. But it didn't look like that would be the case in the very first inning. Pauly walked the leadoff batter, Veronica Wootson. Akron then used two outs to advance her two bases. But she was stranded at third thanks to a nice charging catch in center by LaDonia Hughes.

That was the only scoring threat from Akron until the 6th, when Kellie Middleton doubled with one out. Pauly kept her there with a strikeout and a groundout. The only other hits by Akron were a single in the 3rd (erased thanks to nice bare-handed catch of a bunt popup by Oli and a throw to Bures at first for a double-play), an infield single in the 4th (erased when they dared to steal on Callie Piper), and a single in the 7th (stranded).

The Glory, on the other hand, loaded the bases with no outs in the second, but couldn't score. But they did in the third. A one-out single by Nicole Barber started things off. After an Oli popout, Amber Jackson quickly fell behind 0-2. A coach in the Akron dugout yelled "Kristin" and the catcher Kristen Butler turned to see a sign being given. An 0-2 pitchout? Yup, but Barber was going nowhere. But she took off for second on the next pitch, which was yet another pitchout. No matter, as she still beat the throw. With the count now 3-2 and first base open, they choose to give Amber a pitch she could handle, and the result was a line drive off the wall in center field. This was enough to score Barber, though Jackson hit it so hard she only got a single out of it. We were up 1-0 after 3.

Not for long though, as we doubled our lead in the next at-bats. Leadoff batter Courtney Bures took a 1-1 pitch and lined a shot that just cleared the fence in center. The Westfield home run was her 9th of the year, and first since July 12th. The 2-0 lead was more than enough for Pauly to take it from there, and she did.

We left the bases loaded again in the 5th, and then chased Tincher from the game in the 6th. With 2-outs, Hughes slapped a ball so well that it one-hopped the fence down the right field line. She zipped around the bases so fast she seriously thought about scoring on the hit, but she stayed at third for a triple. Then the entire Akron bench to come out onto the field to congratulate Tincher on losing a game. Radara McHugh came in to get the final out, which she did based mostly on luck. Barber lined a screamer down toward third that was caught mostly out of self-defense, and Hughes was left at third.

Pauly's 10th complete game was her 11th win, against 4 losses. She also re-takes the team lead in shutouts, with 3. She allowed just 4 hits and that one walk to start the game. She struck out 5 batters in 6 innings (6 total), which was more than strikeout-leader Tincher did in her nearly 6 innings. Angela gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and 5 walks, striking out just 4. She falls to 12-7 on the year.

End Notes: Due to a contract dispute, the VIP seats were unavailable, so we were all bunched up again, in General Admission. It felt a little more like last year, crowd-wise, which was kinda cool.

The scoreboard was not working tonight, so only those of us with scorebooks knew what was going on most of the time. But I kept forgetting to mark balls and strikes, so even I was lost during many at-bats.

Catalina Morris was not present tonight. She had to miss the final homestand last year due to her teaching job starting early, so I'm guessing that's where she is again. If history repeats, she'll get time off and meet us in Kimberly for the playoffs (which we clinched tonight).