AKRON, OH – The Akron Racers came into the weekend hot as they started their six-game home stand and in a wild, back-and-forth game stayed red hot picking up their fifth straight win 5-4 over the Dallas Charge in eight innings Friday night.
The five-game winning streak is a season-high for Akron.
The Racers walked into the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 4-2 and needing to score. Right fielder AJ Andrews (Louisiana State University) started off the inning by pinch hitting for catcher Griffin Joiner (Kentucky). Andrews reached base when Charge pitcher Lauren Haeger hit her with a pitch. Centerfielder Taylor Schlopy (Georgia) and third baseman Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) both drew walks to load the bases for shortstop Sami Fagan.
Fagan entered Friday night having hit a home run in the seventh inning of the past two games to put Akron ahead for good in those contests. On this night, Fagan battled off numerous Haeger pitches with foul balls, eventually working a 0-2 count to a full count. Then Fagan once again delivered a clutch hit as she knocked a single to right field that scored Andrews and Schlopy to send the game to extra innings 4-4.
“I felt good. I love that situation,” Fagan said. “I love the clutch situation and I felt the whole night that I was seeing her really well. I just was telling myself track the ball and hit it, so I ended up doing that.”
After a quick 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth inning, Dallas reliever Cheridan Hawkins hit first baseman Sandra Simmons (Louisiana State University) and right fielder Cassie Tysarczyk (Texas A&M) on her first two pitches of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Joiner successfully laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners up to second and third base, respectively. With second baseman Ashley Thomas at the plate, Hawkins sent a wild pitch sailing off the glove of catcher Kaylyn Castillo to allow Simmons to race home for the winning run.
“We need to continue to do what we’re doing, just have fun out there and enjoy ourselves,” Coach Brian Levin said. “That’s when we play our best.”
The Racers were the first to put a run on the board in the bottom of the first inning, Schlopy hit a solo shot to right field giving Akron the early 1-0 lead. Shellie Robinson (USC-Upstate) extended the lead in the bottom of the third inning when she fired a single to left field, received her 14th RBI of the season and brought Schlopy home.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Schlopy said. “I’m just letting the ball come to me and trying to slow things down and just get on base for the next person behind me, so we can string our hits together.”
Schlopy scored three runs and was 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks.
Racers starter Aimee Creger threw five hitless innings, controlling the Charge offense for most of the game, before Dallas came to life in the top of the sixth inning.
“I felt very comfortable,” Creger said. “I was actually very strong after coming off yesterday’s bus ride, but I felt really loose and really confident in Griff’s pitch calls.
“One pitch can change a game for either team, so it is really important that we win each pitch, each batter, each inning and ultimately win each game, no matter how it happens.”
The Charge were able to secure four runs in the top of the sixth inning after Renada Davis walked up to
the plate with bases loaded and blasted a grand slam out of the ballpark to give the Charge a 4-2 lead.
After the home run and a single by Kylee Lahners, Rachele Fico entered the game in relief of Creger and finished the game to earn her first win of the season.
