Akron, Ohio – July 9th, 2016 – The Scrap Yard Dawgs ended their Racers series with a second game at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
The Dawgs came out swinging in the first two innings against starting pitcher Sarah Pauly who came into the game with a 4-1 overall record and 2.79 ERA but could not put a run on the board. Akron scored in the second when rookie, Alex Hugo hit a solo homer off of Dawgs pitcher, Sara Driesenga to make it a 1-0 ball game. However, the Dawgs played clean on the defense end nearly pulling out a 5-4-3 double play. Driesenga ended the side with a strikeout to Racers DP, Emily Messer.
First round Dawgs draft pick, Kiki Stokes, put the Dawgs in its first scoring position of the night in the top of the third with a standup double in the left-center field gap on two outs but was left stranded. The Racers answered back as Kelley Montalvo reached on an error followed by centerfielder, Taylor Schlopy who had a hit up the middle to put Montalvo in scoring position. A walk to Hugo loaded the bases for the Akron Racers but a diving snag by first basemen, Lexi Overstreet allowed the Dawgs to keep a 1-0 game as they recorded their third out of the inning.
The Dawgs looked to break through in the top of the fourth with two hard hits by Nerissa Myers and Emilee Koerner that were just stopped by the Racers middle infielders. The back and forth battle continued as Racers, Ashley Thomas reached second on a throwing error. After a strikeout to Messer, A.J. Andrews poked one to left field to add another run for the Racers (2-0). With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, runners on first and second the Dawgs put in relief pitcher, Ivy Renfroe. Mizzou alum, Sami Fagan stepped up to the plate to hit a three-run home run directly followed by another home run shot from Schlopy (6-0).
Amanda Fama ignited the offense again just as she did in yesterday’s game one of the Akron series with her two-run RBI to put the first two runs on the board for the Dawgs. This time it was a moon shot home run to make it a 6-1 game. The Racers left Thomas on second base after her double to right field after a spectacular defense performance from shortstop, Christian Stokes and Overstreet. Feeding off of Fama’s fire in the previous inning the Dawgs quickly worked their way into scoring position again at the top of the sixth as K. Stokes hit her second double of the game. Lead-off hitter, Emily Crane hit a hard grounder to first base to move K. Stokes over to third with one out. Breja’e Washington steps in clutch going two for three tonight with a shallow RBI hit to left field to score K. Stokes (6-2) Myers continued the Dawgs fight with a line drive double to left-center field to put yet another run across making it 6-3. With the score deficit cut in half, the Racers turned to relief pitcher, Laura Winters who threw the final 4.1 innings of the Dawgs victory in last night’s game.
Despite two errors from the Dawgs, they keep the Racers scoreless in the bottom of the sixth inning. Overstreet swings big to keep the Dawgs alive with a two-out solo home run putting the score within two (6-4). However, a fly out to left field by K. Stokes ended the game. After a tough battle back to cut the Racers lead by scoring four runs in the last three innings the Dawgs lose 6-4 and split the two game series against the Akron Racers.
