WPCNR PRESS BOX. July 31, 2004: The New York New Jersey Juggernaut beat the New England Riptide in Lowell, Massachussetts Saturday night, 2-1 behind a 4-hitter by Gina Oaks who moves to 10-6 on the year. Oaks drove in one run and Lyndsey Klein drove in the other for the Nauts, and move to within 2 games of the first place Thunder pending Texas efforts tonight in Akron. The Nauts are sitting on 28-16 on the year. The Thunder at 27-13.
The Juggernaut At the Start of the Stretch. Hitters Count in This League.
WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny. July 31, 2004: As the New York New Jersey Juggernaut heads into the final 17 games of their first National Pro Fastpitch season, with a three-game set against the Riptide in Lowell, Massachussetts this weekend, I have some observations about the league and play in general.
The team has not hit as well as expected, but neither has any team hit well in this league, pitching has dominated and the averages with the one exception of Akron Racer Iyhia McMichael who was hitting over .400, (now at .391) over 75 points higher than the NPF runnerup to the bat title chase, the Juggernaut Kellie Wilkerson.
The Nauts pitching has been there with Amanda Scott at 10-6, Kaci Clark at 7-4 and welcome contributions of 9 wins from Gina Oaks has been there except on certain nights in Houston, Texas. The Nauts have lost 5 games of their 16 in Houston to the Texas Thunder and lost them soundly to the Thunder Trio of Peaches James, Christa Williams and Lindsay Chouinard. The Thunder come into New Jersey one week from Monday to battle for first place.
But, first things first, the Nauts have to make a convincing statement against the Akron Racers this week who visit Montclair State University Stadium beginning Wednesday night at 7:35 P.M. This weekend of July 31-August 1, the Racers and the Thunder are clawing at each other in Akron. The Nauts hope they really tear each other up.
This week will also find the Nauts playing directly for their personable young owner, Paul Plemenos who has fired his second manager in 43 games. Plemenos did so, according to sources because he wants more aggressive offensive play. Those sources also tell us the Juggernauts are known around the league for base-to-base play, little stealing, and predictable sacrifice bunts as soon as they get a Naut on base.
The Nauts ran into some really bad fielding on their last trip into Texas, and hurt both Amanda Scott and Kaci Clark with inopportune errors.
What WPCNR has seen of the team, we have seen them play in person twice, and on television twice, the team has excellent outfield play and solid infield defense, but it could be that the grind of a 6-games a week schedule, which the players are not used to is taking its toll.
Most of the players in the college game simply do not have the travel and the grind of all-softball-all-time. Slumps happen in the daily demands of a professional season. Owner Plemenos by shaking things up a second time this season in true Steinbrenner fashion, may simply be trying to infuse new energy for the stretch drive. WPCNR has been told the players like the owner, his enthusiasm, and his philosophy.
The teams WPCNR has noted in the NPF put on great shows for the fans. The Nauts are averaging around 400 to 500 fans for their games, and even attracted 500 in midweek for the Arizona doubleheader Wednesday on short notice. Akron has drawn well, but the entire league suffers from a deliberate media blackout on the part of the major newspaper, television networks and radio stations, as WPCNR has documented.
Getting back to the Juggernauts with 17 games to go, Pasquerella the third baseman is impressive around the hot corner. Lindsay Klein the shortstop has incredible range and reactions, and Carrie Leto at second and Kellie Wilkerson at first complete the defense well. The outfield of Lauren Bauer Venus Taylor and newcomer Laura Harms in right is very quick to the ball. The hitting has hurt the club, the big bats of Kellie Wilkerson and Lyndsey Klein, and the clutch hitting of Germaine Fairchild (coming off the bench often in the clutch) have been the bright spots.
Wilkerson leads the club with a.342 B.A., with Klein next at .255. Both Wilkerson and Klein have 15 RBIs. Carrie “Lightning” Leto after a scorching start seems to have leveled off at .234. But the entire league with the exception of Texas…the league’s leading hitting club…has been dominated by pitching.
Oddly, in hardball, the best teams usually have the best pitching. In Fastpitch the opposite is true, every team in the league has great windmill pitchers. It is the teams with the best hitters that are winning the most games.
The Juggernaut plays entertaining games, almost always close. The players are very personable and go out of their way to sell the game to their fans and the community and the Nauts at least are winning friends and fans in New Jersey, despite the media the major league baseball teams lack of interest in helping them succeed.
The Naut Stats with 17 games to go, before the playoffs:
BATTING Click on column name to sort
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | KL | SB | HBP | SH | AVG | OB% | SLG |
| Bauer, Lauren | 105 | 10 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .238 | .279 | .267 |
| Clark, Kaci | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Collins, Lindsey | 74 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .135 | .200 | .216 |
| Fairchild, Germaine | 47 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .234 | .280 | .277 |
| Hanson, Erika | 40 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .289 | .225 |
| Harms, Laura | 42 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | .214 | .233 | .238 |
| Iancin, Lisa | 89 | 6 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .213 | .278 | .258 |
| Klein, Lyndsey | 141 | 19 | 36 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .255 | .291 | .326 |
| Leto, Carri | 141 | 14 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | .234 | .285 | .255 |
| Oaks, Gina | 108 | 8 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | .185 | .285 | .222 |
| Pasquerella, Jaclyn | 104 | 9 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12 | .221 | .243 | .231 |
| Scott, Amanda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Scott, Courtney | 59 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .203 | .288 | .237 |
| Smith, Jen | 37 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .216 | .216 | .243 |
| Taylor, Venus | 110 | 7 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 5 | .155 | .218 | .191 |
| Wilkerson, Kellie | 117 | 13 | 40 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 | .342 | .454 | .402 |
| Player | W | L | S | GS | CG | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | SHA | BF | AB | HBP | KL | 2B | 3B | HR | ERA |
| Scott, Amanda | 10 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 116.1 | 68 | 22 | 13 | 34 | 103 | 3 | 437 | 397 | 2 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0.79 |
| Clark, Kaci | 7 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 107.2 | 67 | 25 | 18 | 29 | 94 | 3 | 430 | 381 | 4 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1.18 |
| Wilkerson, Kellie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.36 |
| Oaks, Gina | 9 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 103.2 | 53 | 22 | 15 | 24 | 95 | 4 | 391 | 351 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1.02 |
ProSports Radio to Cast NPF Games from Valley of the Sun, 2 Nauts Games in Aug.
WPCNR PRESS BOX. From National Pro Fastpitch. July 31, 2004: National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and the Arizona Heat announced today that Pro Sports Radio has agreed to webcast four of the Heat’s remaining nine home games live from Hi Corbett Field in Tucson. The first of the four dates will be tonight, July 31 at 10:35 p.m. EDT when the Arizona Heat host the California Sunbirds in the beginning of a pivotal three-game series for both teams. Currently the Heat sit 4.5 games out of the final playoff spot, while the Sunbirds are six games out. Both teams are currently chasing the New England Riptide, which begins a three-game series this weekend with the NY/NJ Juggernaut in Lowell, Mass. Fastpitch fans can pick up the action on their computer by going to www.npf.prosportsradio.com.
Bob “Kingpin” Eres will handle the play-by-play duties for the broadcasts, while Aaron Moore will handle the color commentary. Fans can listen to the games by visiting the NPF page at Pro Sports Radio (www.npf.prosportsradio.com) and then by clicking on the Arizona Heat team logo. The logo will take fans directly to the broadcast.
Pro Sports Radio will also broadcast Heat games on August 10th against the Riptide, and August 16th and 18th when the NY/NJ Juggernaut visit Tucson. All games are scheduled to begin at 7:35 p.m. PDT.
“We are very excited about expanding our partnership with National Pro Fastpitch, and in particular with the Arizona Heat,” said Eres, President of Pro Sports Radio. “This is a great opportunity to be involved with a sport that’s popularity is on the rise in this country.”
NPF fans currently have the opportunity to listen to interviews with players, coaches and front office personnel by clicking on the Pro Sports Radio link on the NPF website. The direct link to the NPF page of Pro Sports Radio is www.npf.prosportsradio.com.
Weekend at The Cinema De Lux.
WPCNR SCREEN GEMS. From National Amusements. July 30, 2004: The Manchurian Candidate and The Village open this weekend at the City Center Cinema De Lux, along with Thunderbirds and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. The Showtimes, and storylines of this weekend’s new arrivals:
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE — Denzel Washington stars as a career soldier who grows suspicious after his former sergeant (Liev Schreiber), son of a powerful Senator (Meryl Streep), becomes a candidate for Vice President. This psychological thriller was directed by Jonathan Demme. Rated R
THE VILLAGE — Set in 1897, an isolated village seems picture perfect, but the close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that evil creatures reside in the surrounding woods. When one headstrong resident (Joaquin Phoenix) decides to step beyond the boundaries of the town and into the woods, his bold move threatens to forever change the fate of the village. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Rated PG-13.
THUNDERBIRDS — In the year 2065, former astronaut Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton) and his five sons operate an international rescue team called “The Thunderbirds” that races into action whenever their services are required. When Tracy Island is attacked by an evil mastermind (Ben Kingsley), the youngest member of the clan must enlist his friends to help rescue his family. This sci-fi adventure is rated PG.
HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE — Two likeable underdogs set out one Friday night to satisfy their craving for White Castle hamburgers and end up on a mind-altering road trip of epic proportions. Directed by Danny Leiner (Dude, Where’s My Car?). Rated R
** Two Stars indicate movie shows in a Director’s Hall at higher admission prices.
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Catwoman (PG-13) –11:15 am;1:50;4:30;7:10;9:55 pm;12:25 am. ;
A Cinderella Story (PG) –11:40 am;2:10;4:35;7:05;9:35 pm;12:00 am. ;
The Village (PG-13) –12:00;2:30;5:00;7:30;10:00 pm;12:30 am. ;
Shrek 2 (PG) –10:30 am;1:00;3:40 pm. ;
Spider-Man 2 (PG-13) –12:15;3:15;6:40;9:30 pm;12:15 am. ;
The Bourne Supremacy (PG-13) –11:00 am;1:40;4:15;6:00;7:00;8:50;9:50;11:20 pm;12:30 am. ;
The Notebook (PG-13) –12:00;9:25 pm;12:00 am. ;
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (PG-13) –2:45;5:00;7:15 pm. ;
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (R) –10:30 am;12:40;2:50;5:00;7:20;9:45;11:55 pm. ;
De-lovely (PG-13) –12:30;3:30;6:45;9:45 pm;12:30 am. ;
I, Robot (PG-13) –10:40 am;1:20;4:10;6:50;9:40 pm;12:20 am. ;
The Manchurian Candidate (R) –12:25;3:40;7:05;10:05 pm. ;
Thunderbirds (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:30;6:40;9:15;11:45 pm. ;
Fahrenheit 9/11 (R) –12:05;2:40;5:15;7:50;10:25 pm;12:45 am. ;
The Village **(PG-13) –11:30 am;2:00;4:30;7:00;9:30 pm;12:00 am. ;
The Bourne Supremacy **(PG-13) –10:30 am;1:10;3:45;6:30;9:20 pm;12:00 am. ;
Sunday, August 01, 2004
The Bourne Supremacy **(PG-13) –10:30 am;1:10;3:45;6:30;9:20 pm. ;
The Village **(PG-13) –11:30 am;2:00;4:30;7:00;9:30 pm. ;
Fahrenheit 9/11 (R) –12:05;2:40;5:15;7:50;10:25 pm. ;
Thunderbirds (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:30;6:40;9:15 pm. ;
The Manchurian Candidate (R) –12:25;3:40;7:05;10:05 pm. ;
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (R) –10:30 am;12:40;2:50;5:00;7:20;9:45 pm. ;
De-lovely (PG-13) –12:30;3:30;6:45;9:45 pm. ;
I, Robot (PG-13) –10:40 am;1:20;4:10;6:50;9:40 pm. ;
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (PG-13) –2:45;5:00;7:15 pm. ;
The Bourne Supremacy (PG-13) –11:00 am;1:40;4:15;6:00;7:00;8:50;9:50 pm. ;
The Notebook (PG-13) –12:00;9:25 pm. ;
The Village (PG-13) –12:00;2:30;5:00;7:30;10:00 pm. ;
Spider-Man 2 (PG-13) –12:15;3:15;6:40;9:30 pm. ;
Shrek 2 (PG) –10:30 am;1:00;3:40 pm. ;
A Cinderella Story (PG) –11:40 am;2:10;4:35;7:05;9:35 pm. ;
Catwoman (PG-13) –11:15 am;1:50;4:30;7:10;9:55 pm. ;
Monday, August 02, 2004
Catwoman (PG-13) –1:50;4:30;7:10;9:55 pm. ;
A Cinderella Story (PG) –2:10;4:35;7:05;9:35 pm. ;
Shrek 2 (PG) –1:00;3:40 pm. ;
The Village (PG-13) –12:00;2:30;5:00;7:30;10:00 pm. ;
Spider-Man 2 (PG-13) –12:15;3:15;6:40;9:30 pm. ;
The Notebook (PG-13) –12:00;9:25 pm. ;
The Bourne Supremacy (PG-13) –1:40;4:15;6:00;7:00;8:50;9:50 pm. ;
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (PG-13) –2:45;5:00;7:15 pm. ;
I, Robot (PG-13) –1:20;4:10;6:50;9:40 pm. ;
De-lovely (PG-13) –12:30;3:30;6:45;9:45 pm. ;
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (R) –12:40;2:50;5:00;7:20;9:45 pm. ;
Thunderbirds (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:30;