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Akron Racers

Schlopy, Fischer Deliver in Extra Innings

June 30, 2016 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Akron Racers News Release


AKRON, OH - On a night the Akron Racers were forced to come back three different times, first baseman Sam Fischer (Loyola-Marymount) delivered the deciding blow with a three-run, nearly 300-foot home run to center field in order to finally push past the Pennsylvania Rebellion and secure the riveting 5-3 win at Firestone Stadium in eight innings.

Racers (11-8) center fielder Taylor Schlopy (Georgia) and third baseman Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) started the bottom of the eighth inning with a single and walk, respectively, and with Pennsylvania trying to cling to a 3-2 lead, Fischer launched the 1-2 pitch out of the park and sped around the bases to meet her teammates at home plate, where they celebrated a thrilling walk-off victory.

"Just elation," field manager Brian Levin said regarding his reaction to Fischer's home run. "Any time your team comes back from being down a couple of times and then finds a way to win it, that's just fun to be a part of."

Fischer now leads the NPF with eight home runs on the season.

"This one was different (from other home runs) because it was the game-winner," Fischer said. "It was exciting because we were down to our last couple of outs. I felt really glad to help my team and make it count with this one."

Rebellion (7-15) shortstop Whitney Arion had muscled a line drive home run over the wall in right-center field to put Pennsylvania ahead 3-2, but the Racers wouldn't be denied as the three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth stole the game right back for the Rubber City.

Starting pitchers Jailyn Ford (James Madison) for Akron and Miranda Kramer for Pennsylvania (7-15) brought their best stuff on Wednesday night, allowing a run apiece through the first six frames, but a bit of a home run derby broke out late in the game.

Ford posted another impressive outing to add to her rookie résumé. Beginning with the final out in the second inning, Ford retired 11 straight Rebellion hitters shortly after giving up a solo shot to Rebellion right fielder Lexie Elkins that gave Pennsylvania a 1-0 lead. She went the distance, allowing just three runs and six hits in eight innings of work.

"That's the type of game you are going to get from her," Levin said. "She is going to keep you in the ballgame and give you an opportunity to win and that's all you can ask for."

Kramer kept the Racers off the scoreboard until the sixth inning, Schlopy aimed to put an end to the pitcher's duel as she belted a home run clear over the fence in right-center field, which tied the game at 1-1 and gave her teammates the hope that they would feed off of later in the night. She was 0-2 with a pair of strikeouts heading into the at bat.

"I was just trying to slow the game down and take it one pitch at a time," said Schlopy. "Also think about the adjustments I needed to make and just really try and get a base hit for the team and flush the first two at bats and start new."

In the seventh inning, a leadoff walk by Elkins came around to score on a single by Rebellion third baseman Mandy Ogle, giving Pennsylvania the slight edge heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Akron once again displayed a relentless approach at the plate, as with two outs, second baseman Ashley Thomas (Georgia Tech) clobbered her second home run of the season and knotted the score 2-2 to send the game into extra innings.

"I would say our identity is resilience," Thomas said. "We don't want to go down. None of us like losing and we're not going to go down without a fight, without scratching and clawing."

The Racers will once again hit the road as they travel to Chicago for a two-game series with the Bandits, before taking on the Scrap Yard Dawgs for the first time ever in Houston on the Fourth of July.

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