AKRON, Ohio (July 17, 2010) – For the second straight evening, the Akron Racers overcame a 3-0 deficit and quite literally stole a 5-4 win from the USSSA Pride in game four at Firestone Stadium.
Jamee Jaurez utilized heads-up baserunning with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and caught the Pride napping outside the circle when she stole home to cap a four-run inning and help Akron to its third-straight win over the Pride.
The Racers (15-10) pitched by committee as Taryne Mowatt (2-2) earned the win in two innings of work, limiting the Pride to a run on two hits. Juarez then closed out a dramatic seventh to earn her first save of the season. The Pride (14-12) gave the ball to Katie Burkhart (2-6) for the second game this series and the southpaw was effective early but ultimately suffered the loss in six innings after giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits.
Lisa Modglin led the Racers with a 2-for-3 day, tallying a pair of RBI while Sharonda McDonald also drove in two on a clutch single in the sixth.
The Pride jumped out early in the third. Tonya Callahan singled and then scored on a three-bag throwing error to put the Pride ahead by one.
The visitors extended the lead in the fourth when Jessica Mendoza doubled to right and then scored on Akron’s second error of the game before a two-out Callahan RBI single put the Pride ahead, 3-0.
The Racers began the comeback in the fifth, loading the bases before scoring a run on Modglin’s sac-fly RBI.
The Pride tacked on another run atop the sixth on pinch hitter Amber Flores’ sac-fly RBI before the Racers gave all in attendance their money’s worth when they strung together four runs in the home half to earn tonight’s come from behind victory. McDonald’s two-RBI single to center preceded Juarez’s fielder’s choice to bring Akron within one. Modglin delivered once more on a two-out RBI single to tie it up at 4-all. On the same play, Juarez stole home on with no one covering and the ball out of the circle, to sneak past the Pride, 5-4.
The Pride refused to go quietly, threatening in the top of the seventh as Lauren Lappin roped a one-out single up the middle which Mendoza followed with a walk. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball but Juarez got Charlotte Morgan to fly out to right, ending the contest in Akron’s favor.
The Racers and Pride wrap up the series tomorrow (Sunday, July 18) at 7:35 p.m. with a “Beach Party” on Girl Scouts Day. For more information or tickets, please visit www.akronracers.org. To follow the series from home, you can catch the action live on MLB.com with a $19.95 season-long subscription or view live stats via www.pointstreak.com.
About USSSA Florida Pride:
The USSSA Florida Pride is a professional franchise in the National Pro Fastpitch League that is owned and operated by USSSA. The amateur organization of USSSA has multi-sport coverage and encompasses teams and players from the United States and abroad.
About NPF:
National Pro Fastpitch is headquartered in Nashville, TN. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball since 2002.
About USSSA:
The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), headquartered in Osceola County, Florida, USSSA is the World’s Largest Multi-sport Athletic Organization. Founded in 1968, USSSA has grown to over 3.7 million participants, competing in 13 nationally sanctioned sports including Baseball, Fastpitch, Slow Pitch, Karate, Basketball, Soccer and more! For more information on USSSA and to register your team visit USSSA.com. Also be sure to visit USSSAToday.com for the latest USSSA News!