WPCNR PRESS BOX. Special to WPCNR From Dayna Dixon, Chicago Bandits. August 7, 2005 (Edited): Outside it may have seemed like a perfect day, but to Bandit fans a storm had rolled into the ballpark. The first place Chicago Bandits lost the final game of the series to the fourth place New York Juggernaut 5-1. The five New York runs were scored in just one painful inning for the Bandits.
The game started off as a pitcher’s duel. Both Bandit Lauren Bay and Juggernaut Peaches James recorded 5 strikeouts each in just the first three innings. James finished the game with 8 strikeouts and zero walks while giving up 4 hits and will move up just behind 2nd ranked Bay for wins. After this game, Bay has 13 wins and James will now have 12. The fourth Place Juggernaut remain within striking distance of the First Place Bandits, 4-1/2 games off the pace, and tightened up the 4 team race for the NPF Playoffs. Akron drew within 1 game of the Bandits, and the third place Texas Thunder are within 2 games.
Bay was not the only Bandits pitcher to get some action. Both Amy Harre
and Gina Oaks came in for the last 2.2 innings, but were not able to
repair the dent New York had made in the fifth inning.
In the second inning, Juggernaut Ryan Realmuto dove back to first when
catcher Mackenzie Vandergeet attempted to pick her off first base, but it
was too far off for Gina Oaks to grab. The ball was deflected off of the
umpire’s body to prevent it from going to right field and allowing
Realmuto to advance. A couple pitches later Realmuto was successful at
stealing second base.
Jaclyn Pasquerella worked the pitcher in the third inning by staying in
the batter’s box for 9 pitches. Bay finally sent her to the dugout with a
swinging and a miss for strike three.
Although the pitchers started out hot, the game took a turn in the bottom
of the fourth inning when the Bandits scored first.
Bandit Gina Oaks ended the series of zeros on the score board with a
single into left field. Jaime Clark followed with a double to the fence
in center that brought Oaks home for her 18th RBI, bringing the score to
1-0. Vandergeest hit a shot to first baseman Jodie Cox who caught the
line drive. Juggernaut Natasha Watley ended the inning by cleaning
fielding Lindsay Hamma’s ground ball.
The Bandits ran into deep trouble in the top of the fifth inning. Alicia
Smith started it up with a single to advance Chelsea Spencer and Jodie
Cox. When Jackie Pasquerella came up to bat, the bases were loaded with
no outs, giving her the opportunity to open up the flood gates.
3-run Throwing Error.
Pasquerella hit a ground ball to first baseman Clark who threw it right
back to home to get the force out. Catcher Vandergeest was not satisfied
with just one out so she turned to third with an attempt to get Spencer
out. Instead of an out, Vandergeest’s powerful arm overthrew third base
and the ball continued out to the fence allowing all three runners to
score.
Fueling from the energy, Watley and Carri Leto followed with two singles.
Both players ended up scoring with unearned runs due to throwing errors
that had advanced them, bringing New York ahead, 5-1. After Leto’s
single, Bay was replaced in the circle by Amy Harre and the Bandits closed
the inning with two more outs. Bay finished her 4.1 inning performance
with 6 strikeouts, but walked 3 and gave up another 3 hits. Only three of
the runs had been earned.
The Bandits were unable to recover from the damage, but did have two more
hits in the game by Megan Ciolli and Gina Oaks.
Even though Harre held the Juggernaut to the 5-1 score, Chicago coaches
replaced her in the final inning with Oaks. Both pitchers allowed one hit
each without striking out any.
New York travels to Akron to race the second place Racers August 11-14th. The Chicago Bandits will host the 2005 NPF All-Star Game and Playoffs on Saturday, August 27th and Sunday, August 28th. ESPN2 will televise the NPF All-Star Game tape delayed on August 28th at 5:00 pm eastern time and the Championship Game at 7:00 pm EST on the same day. For more information about the New York Juggernaut, visit us online at www.nynjjuggernaut.com.
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