ANN ARBOR, MI — It was a hard-fought game between the Akron Racers and the USSSA Pride that ended in a 5-4 win for the Pride. The first game of the Michigan series was the third consecutive win against the Racers and the sixth consecutive win overall for the Pride.
The Pride trailed the Racers for most of the game and had to chip away one run at a time. They went down early after the Racers scored two runs in the top of the first inning on a two-run single by Alex Hugo that scored Sam Fischer and Taylor Schlopy.
The Pride got the runs back in the second off a pair of hits from Amanda Kamekona and Chelsea Goodacre.
Fischer led off the top of the third inning with a home run and taking the 3-2 lead for the Racers. The very next inning Sami Fagan drove in pinch runner Emily Messer to extend Akron’s lead to 4-2.
Kamekona returned the favor in the fourth, knocking one out off of Rachele Fico to cut the Racer advantage to 4-3. Kamekona scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning off a Megan Wiggins single.
With the score tied 4-4 in the seventh with runners on first and second and two outs, Hallie Wilson ripped a line drive over the head of left fielder Alex Hugo and drove in Kirsti Merritt to win the game.
The walk-off hit was the second hit of the game for Wilson (2-4) and the fourteenth for the Pride.
Shelby Pendley, while lacking her usual luster at the plate, flashed some leather on a couple of occasions. Trying to hold the Racers in the sixth, Pendley dove to her backhand side to keep the ball in the infield and got to her knees to get a quick out at first. Two plays later she made a difficult play on the run to end the inning and complete her SportsCenter-worthy highlight reel.
Jolene Henderson picked up the win for the Pride, facing four batters in one inning pitched and keeping the Racers from scoring. Her scoreless inning gave the Pride an opportunity to win it, needing just one run to take the game.
The Racers return to Akron tomorrow night to take on the Pennsylvania Rebellion at Firestone Stadium in the first game of a two-game series at 7:05 p.m.
The Pride return to Ann Arbor tomorrow to face the Chicago Bandits for the first time this season. First pitch is set for 7:00 PM (ET).
About the Akron Racers: The Akron Racers, headquartered in Akron, OH, are the oldest existing team in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league, celebrating their 15th Season of Play in 2016. The Racers competed in the Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL) for two seasons in 1999 and 2000 and in the NPF since 2004. Historic Firestone Stadium is home to the Racers and numerous amateur events at all levels of play.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The 2016 NPF season will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Coverage includes the NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thur., April 14, followed by 23 regular-season games, a Championship Series Preview Special and the 2016 NPF Championship Series. The NPF recently announced that the Scrap Yard Dawgs, located in The Woodlands, Texas, will join the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Dallas Charge, Pennsylvania Rebellion and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2016 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand, representing the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball.
