Pride Split Double Header; Akron Avoids Sweep in CC

Former Islanders pitcher Sarah Pauly, now A&M-CC's softball pitching coach, scattered four hits in leading the Pride to a  slim victory at Whataburger Field during the Hurricane Alley Coastal Classic.

Behind Sam Marder's eighth-inning monster grand slam off former LSU pitcher Brittany Mack, Akron won the second game of the late night double header 4-3 Saturday night to avoid being swept in this four-game series showing. Mack pitched for LSU in last week's College World Series, where they were eliminated in the semi finals.

"We've been trying to grow the sport of softball and so to come here to Corpus is big," said Pauly, who pitched a complete game to get the win in game 1 of Saturdays double header. "It's actually pretty cool that I was able to play here, coach here and play professionally here, too."

Pauly, who had a rough start to to the, giving up 2 runs, recovered quickly in the next 6 innings of play. Giving up just one hit, and one walk after the first inning, she coasted through the game and retired her last 11 batters faced.

"For some reason the past two weeks I've been struggling in the first inning," said Pauly, who struck out six and walked one in the game. "I knew after I got the first inning shakes and jitters out of the way, it was smooth sailing from there."

That also kept the Pride in the game long enough for them to rally with two runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 2-1 deficit. Megan Willis drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game, before pinch hitter Charlotte Morgan's RBI single gave the Pride a 3-2 lead. The Pride wouldnt give up that lead the rest of the game.

"I knew they would come back," Pauly said. "They're behind us no matter what. Even if it takes until the sixth inning - they always do it. It was nice to come out with the win."

Pauly hopes Saturday's outing wasn't her last at Whataburger Field.

"It would be really neat to come back here," Pauly said. "We always get big crowds in Texas. The fact that we're getting another big crowd in Corpus Christi, one of the smaller cities that we've played in, is really good for the sport and the league."

There were 2,616 in attendance Saturday for a three-day total of 8,602.

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National Pro Fastpitch Stories from June 17, 2012

• Pride Split Double Header; Akron Avoids Sweep in CC - USSSA Florida Pride

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