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Cat Osterman increases her strikeout total to 48 after hurling 12 K’s last night. Photo courtesy of Jade Hewitt.
AKRON, OH- June, 22 2015 – LIVE on CBS Sports Network, the Akron Racers (5-8) battled the USSSA Pride (6-3) to gain a 2-0 victory on a stunning performance by Racers’ pitcher, Sarah Pauly.
Pride Pitcher Cat Osterman froze the Racers’ offense in the first inning by tossing three consecutive strikeouts. But the Racers continued to take their cuts in each at bat.
Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) put the Pride on their toes by blasting a double into the left field corner in the bottom of the second. Osterman shut down the inning with two back-to-back strikeouts, leaving Montalvo on second base.
The Racers continued to play solid defense into the fourth inning. Montalvo dove for a hard hit grounder up the third base line and threw it over to first baseman Megan Low (UT San Antonio). Low reached for the errand throw and tagged Andrea Duran for the first out of the inning. Madison Shipman and GiOnna DiSalvatore both flied out to left field and centerfield, respectively.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Racers continued to test the Pride defense. Taylor Schlopy (Georgia) powered a line drive up the middle. The overthrow by Pride second basemen Shelby Pendley allowed Schlopy to head to second. Nerissa Meyers (Louisiana Lafayette) and Shellie Robinson (USC Upstate) laid down consecutive bunts to load the bases for the Racers. Montalvo sent a ball straight back to Osterman, who then got the force out at home to prevent Schlopy from scoring. Low struck out swinging and Jessica Garcia grounded out to Osterman to end the Racers threat.
In the fifth inning, both pitchers set down the side in order. Pauly struck out three consecutive hitters, Lauren Chamberlain, Brigette Del Ponte and Natasha Watley. In the Racers’ half of the inning, Osterman struck out Ayumi Karino, Ashley Thomas and Jill Barrett.
Kelly Kretschman opened the top half of the sixth inning with a single to the right side of the Racers’ infield. Kretschman stole second base to put the go ahead run for the Pride in scoring position. Megan Wiggins lined out to Montalvo for out number one. Pendley grounded out to Jill Barrett at short and Duran struck out to end the Pride threat.
Schlopy drew a walk to start off the sixth inning for the Racers. Nerissa Myers laid down a sacrifice bunt moving Schlopy into scoring position. Robinson crushed an RBI double to left field to plate Schlopy for the Racers first run of the game.  Robinson advanced to third on a wild pitch. Montalvo then delivered a sacrifice fly scoring Robinson to put the Racers up 2-0. Megan Low hit a powerful line drive single to left field. Low was lifted for a pinch runner, Sonoka Kuniyoshi. Kuniyoshi was caught trying to steal second base for the final out of the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Montalvo grabbed a pop up between third and the pitcher’s mound by Shipman. Robinson caught a fly ball from DiSalvatore for out number two and Amanda Kamekona, batting for Chamberlain, grounded out to Jill Barrett (Tulsa) for the final out of the game.
“We’ve been struggling so far,” said Montalvo, Racers’ third baseman. “Going up against Osterman isn’t easy, she’s so great and she gets better every year. We came together tonight as a team to get this win.”
Sarah Pauly (3-1) throws her second complete game of the season and takes the win on the mound for the Racers with a seven-inning shutout and five strikeouts. Cat Osterman increased her strikeout total to 48 after hurling 12 K’s during last night’s game. Osterman, now 3-1,takes the loss for the first time since 2013. Osterman was 18-0 in 2014.
The series continues tonight, June 23rd on CBS Sports Network at 7:05 PM (ET). Find your local CBS channel with CBS’ “channel finder”.
Records: USSSA Pride: (6-3) Akron Racers: (5-8)
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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.
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