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NPF Akron Racers

Racers Come up Short against Dawgs

July 18, 2016 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Akron Racers News Release


AKRON, OH - On Sarah Pauly night at Firestone Stadium, it was Scrap Yard Dawgs pitcher Monica Abbott stealing the spotlight pitching a complete game one-hitter to shutout the Akron Racers 3-0. Abbott struck out 14 hitters and had only surrendered one base runner until the seventh inning.

Taking the circle on Monday night were a pair of pitchers with a combined 20 years of NPF experience in Pauly and Abbott, but in the end it was the nine-year veteran, Abbott gaining the edge in the victory.

To lead off the seventh inning Akron third baseman Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) drew her second walk of the game. Shortstop Sami Fagan (Missouri) followed by hitting a hard ground ball just out of the reach of shortstop Christian Stokes for the Racers' first hit of the game. Montalvo raced around to third base on the play and Akron brought the tying run to the plate. That would be all the further the rally would go as Abbott struck out the next three hitters to end the game.

Pauly (Texas A&M - Corpus Christi) matched Abbott pitch for pitch early, retiring eight of the first nine batters she faced, but with two outs in the top of the third inning, left fielder Kiki Stokes broke through by lining a solo home run to centerfield. Right fielder Emilee Koerner followed by blasting another home run to centerfield to put the Dawgs ahead of Akron 2-0.

"I just told them keep your heads up," field manager Brian Levin said. "The sun comes up. We play tomorrow. Some days you've got it and some days you don't."

In the sixth inning, former Racer and current Dawgs second baseman Nerissa Myers smacked a solo shot to build upon the Dawgs lead and give them some breathing room, which Abbott didn't need.

As for Pauly (Texas A&M Corpus Christi), she went the distance, but allowed three runs on just four hits.

"She is pitching in tough luck right now," Levin said. "That's a couple times in a row that we haven't scored a lot of runs for her. Like I've said before all I ask of our pitchers is to keep us in games and she did exactly that and offensively we just didn't get it done."

Myers had two of the four hits Pauly allowed with a single in the third inning followed by the home run in the sixth inning. She was the only player on either team to register multiple hits on the day.

Although the end result was not what Pauly had hoped for, she discussed her gratitude for the Racers recognition of her, as they deemed this 'Sarah Pauly Night.'

"It's really special," Pauly said. "Joey likes to do things for players that are loyal to the program and even though this is only my second season on the Racers, I just feel honored that she decided to do this for me tonight."

The Racers and Dawgs will continue with game two of the three game stretch tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. once again at Firestone Stadium with both teams edging for NPF postseason positioning.



National Pro Fastpitch Stories from July 18, 2016


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