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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F.Bailey. July 8, 2004: The New York-New Jersey Juggernaut moved the runners bette, got a successful sacrifice from Lisa Iancin and depended on two big 2-out hits from Germaine Fairchild and Venus Taylor to pull out a 2-1 win for Kaci “22” Clark, Wednesday night before 801 fans at Montclair State University Stadium. The executions of the fundamentals allowed the Nauts to take 2 of three games from third place Texas Thunder and move within 2 games of the First Place Akron Racers in the National Pro Fastpitch circuit, with the Arizona Heat coming into Montclair Friday night.

MOVING EM UP: Lisa Iancin at the plate in the sixth last night facing Christa Williams inthe circle with Lyndsey Klein at first, just before her successful sacrifice bunt moved Klein (on first) to second to set up Venus Taylor’s smash rifled past a sprawling, diving first-baser Marrissa Young. Taylor’s cue shot scored Klein with the game-winning run. Klein went 3 for 3 and scored both Naut runs, turning the final play of the game with a scrambling backhand stop to her right and rope to first. Iancin has shown a talent for creating the key at bat in Naut victories. Photo by WPCNR Sports
After the Thunder got on the board in the opening frame when Kristen Zaleski beat a bunt to first, stole second and scored on Selena Collins rip into right center for a 1-0 lead, the Nauts came back to even it in the bottom of the second stanza.
Lyndsey Klein got the first of her three hits on a Baltimore Chop off the sunbaked MSU Stadium infield that went high off the thirdbaser’s glove. Klein just beat the throw to first. Iancin failed to move Klein on a sacrifice. But Klein wound up on second, anyway when Christa Williams uncorked a pitch that catcher Selena Collins could not get.
Venus Taylor walked and Naut Newcomer Laura Harms looped a soft liner to second. With two out Germaine Fairchild came to the plate.
Williams got her 1-2, then Fairchild said Williams threw a rise ball that “G,” as the players call her, blooped into straight away center fooling centerfielder Kristen Zaleski. She did not move in for it, and it fell 20 feet in front of her, scoring Klein who wheeled around third with the equalizer.

NAUTS HEROINE VENUS TAYLOR SIGNS THE VISOR OF A FAN after the game. Photo by WPCNR Sports
That’s the way she stayed, 1-1 until the sixth when Klein lead off with a rip up the middle, Iancin sacrificed perfectly, setting the stage for Venus Taylor. Venus said Williams first pitch was inside, and she was expecting a pitch on the outside part of the plate and was ready. She got it all and took it into the first base hole scorching the ball past sprawling firstbaser Marrissa Young and the speedy Klein cruised home from second with the winning run.
Lisa Iancin, whose knack for building an inning has distinguished her play this season bunts by choking up on the bat, hands together high on the barrel. It’s an unusual style, that allows her to hold that bat more at eye level and push the ball out harder. She missed her first attempt to bunt in the second inning and attacked differently in the sixth:
“I think the first time around, my bat was too far away from my eye level, so I was trying to keep it closer to my face and use more of my knees and my body to position myself exactly where I have to be to be able to meet the pitch,” Iancin analyzed it. “And also, to move up in the box, and be more confident, more determined, and trying to guess what she’s going to throw me.”
Asked about the Iancin choke-up bunt technique, Lisa said, “When I was younger I used to pinch the bat with one hand, and when I got around 14 years old, I got more strength and coordination and trust in your hands, and my coach decided to teach me to put my hands together up towards the barrel.”
She said, choking up “gives you more control of the bat and bring the bat closer to your eye level, the sweet part of the bat where you can actually see where you need to have contact point. You can also draw the ball by putting your top hand behind the barrel. The top hand actually acts as a cushion so you don’t bat it back hard to the pitcher.”
Iancin’s gamer-builder in the sixth looked as if she had rolled it out there with her hand, it was that perfectly placed.
Defensive Gems by the Juggernaut.
Newcomer Laura Hamms playing right field for the Nauts, from Bradley University, distinguished herself with a terrific throwout from the centerfield fence to rob Lindsay Gardner of a double in the 5th. Gardner was running full-tilt to second on a ball that hit and rolled to the centerfield fence. Hamms cut it off and threw a strike to Carri Leto at second. Gardner veered to the left of second trying to get a hand in, but Leto’s snake-like tag hung her out to dry. Venus Taylor commented that Hamms has a terrific arm, having coached her in Illinois, and that the league would soon get to know you can’t run on Hamms.
Circle on the Scorecard.
Naut Hot Cornerette, Jaclyn Pasquerella made the game-saving play in the top of the sixth on the Thunder’s Erin Evans, after Kaci Clark had walked Selena Collins and the speedy Liz Bouck pinch-running was sacrificed to second. Erin Evans turned on a Kaci pitch and hit a missile to Pasquerella’s right at third base.
Pasquerella incredibly, backhanded the line drive across her body at her ankle for one out and whipped it to the instinctive Carrie Leto right on second for an inning-ending double play. Instead of a double that easily would have scored the pinchrunner, Pasquerella’s lightning glove turned two.

KACI ROUNDS TO THE CABIN: Kaci Clark fires the last pitch of the game to Juliette Brooks. Erica Hansen is playing first. Jaclyn Pasquerella is crouched at third. Clark got the Thunder 1-2-3 in the seventh to earn her 4th win against 3 defeats, walking 3, and striking out 5 Thunders. The Thunder threatened in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th but Clark eased out of the jams.Photo by WPCNR Sports

Winning Battery Signs for Fans after the Game: That’s Germaine Fairchild, background, Catcher, and Kaci Clark, looking at the camera, signing for the dozens of Fastpitch players from the eleven fastpitch teams that attended the game. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
Clark said in reviewing the game, “It was an absolutely awesome win. It was such a team game. The defense was phenomonal. You can see there was a limited number of strikeouts, so the defense was absolutely awesome. We hit the ball very very well. Although we only had five hits, it seemed like we had so many more because so many of us were doing such a good job of getting on base. We did a great job of getting the bunt down, moving the runners when we needed to, and it paid off for us. It was a great team game. My catcher called a great game. We worked very well together tonight.”
Asked about her seemingly shaky start, Clark faulted her spots:
“I didn’t necessarily feel shaky. I felt I got one pitch a little too far over the plate and you know sometimes those infield basehits are going to happen. It’s just making sure you’re hitting good spots. It’s not always about how well the pitch is breaking or how hard you’re throwing it it’s more about you’re hitting good spots with it.”
Asked what she thought about the fan support , Clark beamed,
“The traveling can be a little bit tough and all it’s an awesome opportunity for us to get to go see the other markets and see how they’re building because we’re so excited about the progress of National Pro Fastpitch. In a lot of places the crowds are good, some of them, we’d like to see more. The crowd here was great tonight.
We got a lot of kids, a lot of parents out and we really want to make a special appeal to the ballplayers and their parents. If they want this (NPF) to be around for their kids to be able to play, which is what we’re here for, you know, they need to get to games, get in the seats, and if they can’t be sure to be watching us whenever we’re on YES (Network), because they’re keeping an eye on who’s watching us.”

The Marauders, featured Fastpitch team stand for the National Anthem with the Nauts at the start of last night’s game. Eleven other teams from around the metro area attended the game, including the NJ Tornados, Lady Vikings, The Rampage, Morris County Belles. The Sparta and Nanuet Little Leagues and the New Milford Extreme. Photo by WPCNR Sports
The Current Homestand
Friday, July 9: Arizona Heat, 7:35 P.M.
Saturday, July 10: Arizona Heat, 7:35 P.M.
Sunday July 11: Arizona Heat, 7:35 P.M. Telecast Live on the YES Network.
National Pro Fastpitch Standings. July 8, 2004
W L Pct. Games Behind
Akron Racers 19 7 .731 __
The Juggernaut 19 11 .633 2
Texas Thunder 16 11 .593 3-1
New England Riptide 13 17 .433 8
Arizona Heat 10 19 .345 10-1/2
California Sunbirds 9 21 .300 12
Wednesday’s Scores
New York-New Jersey Juggernaut 2, Texas 1.
Akron 5, California 0
New England 7, Arizona 1


