Racers Shutout Bandits

Weiman came out with another strong outing at home. Weiman went four-plus innings, allowing only four hits and striking out two Bandit hitters. Weiman earned her second victory of the season, bringing her record to 2-1 on the year, and was named the Lock It Up Player of the Game presented by Vaultz for the second time in as many starts.

“Obviously it was a pitchers’ duel,” Weiman said. “It was a game where you can’t make too many mistakes. I just kept telling myself, ‘trust my defense, trust my catcher.’ Just executing the game plan is what I was trying to do, and I felt really good.”

With Chicago starter Lacey Waldrop also looking sharp for much of the game, Akron had to fight to grab the lead in the bottom of the second inning.  Catcher Griffin Joiner came through with a clutch two-out hit, lining a single back up the middle to move the third baseman Kelley Montalvo into scoring position. Left fielder Kristen Wyckoff then delivered a blow, blooping a line drive down the right-field line for a single to plate Montalvo for the first run of the game.

After a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning by Chicago shortstop Abby Ramirez, Racer Field Manager Charlotte Morgan turned to Jailyn Ford out of the bullpen.  Ford threw a shutout inning in the fifth.

The Racers struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning, tacking on two insurance runs.  Center fielder A.J. Andrews led off the inning with a bang, blasting a solo home run to left field.  It was Andrews’ first home run of the season.  After Akron second baseman Ashley Thomas reached on a two-base throwing error by Waldrop and advance to third base on a wild pitch, shortstop Sami Fagan brought Thomas home with a sacrifice fly to right field, push the Racers’ lead to 3-0.

“I feel good coming out of tonight. I think that we started to get on a roll. I think we started playing looser towards the end, and it showed,” Andrews said. “I think that’s something we have to bring and keep going with. Just try to be loose and have fun.”

Shortly after the sacrifice fly that scored Thomas, lightning and rain forced a weather delay and eventually forced the game to be called as an official game.

Ford earned her first save of the season. Bandit’s starter Lacey Waldrop is credited with the loss, dropping her record to 3-2 for the year.

“We knew we had to get a win tonight to take the series,” Weiman explained. “I think our energy was really good, I think we had really good at-bats, we kept plugging away, and we played great defense.”

The victory moves the Racers to 9-9 for the season, pushing them into a tie with the Texas Charge for fourth place in the NPF.  The Charge come to Akron this weekend with the first game of the three-game series scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Friday night. The loss drops the Bandits to 12-11. Chicago’s next game will come on July 3with a rematch against the Racers, this time at the Bandits home field, Ballpark in Rosemont.

Attendance: 551

Game Time: 1:48

Vaultz® Lock It Up® Player of the Game: Emily Weiman

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