WPCNR PRESS BOX. Special to WPCNR from Leigh Greenfelder, Akron, Ohio. (EDITED) July 16, 2004, UPDATED 11 P.M. E.D.T.: It's all over in Akron. The Akron Racers spotted the Nauts a 3-0 lead and roared back in the middle innings off Kaci Clark and Amanda Scott on more Naut miscues tonight to beat the Juggernaut 7-5 in Akron putting some daylight into the National Pro Fastpitch pennant race. Amanda Scott (now 9-5) took her second straight loss, this time in relief. The Nauts will participate in a 9K walk-a-thon with the Racers Saturday morning and attempt to salvage the final game of the three-game set before returning home to face the California Sunbirds Monday night in the friendly confines of Montclair. Nikki Myers pitched a stalwart six innings for the win. The details:
The Racers offense exploded for four runs in the fifth inning to keep them in first place in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) standings with a two and a half game lead over the Juggernaut.
NY/NJ got on board first with two runs in the first inning and another in the second to take a short-lived 3-0 lead. The Racers responded in the bottom half of the third with a pair of runs off of Juggernaut starter Kaci Clark. Third baseman Tracee McCoy recorded Akron’s first base hit of the game with a single to left and moved around the base paths on Brandi Stuart’s sacrifice bunt and a Juggernaut error. McCoy touched home as center fielder Iyhia McMichael drew a throw while stealing second. McMichael, who had reached on a walk, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored Akron’s second run of the game on designated player Dana Degen’s RBI single down the right field line.
The Racers tied the game in the fourth inning when left fielder Heather Wright singled to center field and moved to third base on Clark’s two-base error. Wright knotted the score as Stuart drove a single to center field for her 11th RBI of the season.
Akron took the lead in the fifth when McMichael legged out an infield single and scored from second on the third Juggernaut error of the game. First baseman Nicole Trimboli drove in the Racers fifth run with a sacrifice fly that scored Danielle Fincham, pinch-running for Degen who had reached on a single. McCoy drove in the Racers sixth run with a single to left, bringing in catcher Jenn Poore who had walked. McCoy went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to be named the Custom Sports Imprints Player of the game.
Shortstop Kristin Johnson recorded the Racers seventh run of the evening as she reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score on Stuart’s RBI ground-out. Johnson also made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch into shallow left field in the first inning to save a run, which was named the Summa Health Care System Play of the Game.
Last week’s NPF Player of the Week, Nikki Myers threw six innings in the pitcher’s circle, allowing five runs on five hits while striking out two to earn her fifth win of the season. Brandee McArthur came on in the seventh inning to preserve the win, picking up her second save of the year.
The two teams are next in action tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. at Firestone Stadium as the Racers go for the three-game sweep. The Akron Racers will hold its inaugural 9K Opportunity Walk for Women and Girls in Sports before the match-up, with the walk stepping off at 9:30 a.m. at Firestone Stadium.
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NPF STANDINGS
As of July 16
