McKinney, Texas, Saturday, July 4, 2015 – The Dallas Charge returned home to McKinney, Texas to face the Akron Racers for the fifth time in a row on Saturday evening. With a handful of early errors and only one run scored, the Charge did not put up much of a fight against a fired up Racers roster. The 7-1 loss dropped the Charge to 7-14 on the season. The Racers improved to 12-10.
In the first inning, Nerissa Myers reached first base after a throwing error from Jolene Henderson to Taylor Thom. Jennifer Gilbert followed with a walk. Haley Outon reached on a fielder’s choice, but an error from Renada Davis would allow the Racers to score two unearned runs. J. Henderson prevented further damage but the Charge started the game in a 2-0 deficit and could not answer in the bottom half of the inning.
In the second inning, the Racers would score again and extend the lead. Jill Barrett hit a 2-out single just passed a diving Davis followed by a Myers walk. Gilbert then drilled an RBI single to right field putting the Racers up 3-0. Outon popped out to left field ending the frame.
This time, the Charge would respond. Nadia Taylor hit a single to left field and Brianna Cherry laid down with a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. Ashley Burkhardt stepped up to the plate where she said she was “looking for the inside pitch and got lucky.” Burkhardt hit an RBI single down the right field line scoring Taylor. The run would start and end the scoring for the home team.
In the top of the third, Kelley Montalvo recorded a single before Cassie Tysarczyk hit a double to the center field wall. Ashley Thomas followed with a 2-RBI single allowing the Racers to take a four run lead. An Ayumi Karino single prompted a pitching change for the Dallas. Morgan Melloh came on in relieve Henderson and put out the fire holding the score at 5-1 Racers.
In the fourth, Gilbert singled setting Outon up for a 2-run homerun over left centerfield giving the Racers a 7-1 lead over. With an out already recorded, Briana Hamilton hit a line drive to Davis who made a circus catch behind her back and barely held the ball for a second out. Waiting to hear her leftfielder, Davis says she “got a good break on the ball” and just stuck her glove out for it. “I didn’t even realize I sno-coned it and I honestly didn’t think I had it, but I looked in my glove and was like: wow!” said the shortstop. The Charge lineup would go down in order in their half of the inning.
The Racers would threaten in the seventh, but strand two runners and Dallas would once again go down in order. After the loss Saturday, Burkhardt expects the team to “bounce back and show up with a need-to-attack mentality” against the Racers on Sunday evening when they face each other again in McKinney at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Box score
About Dallas Charge
The Dallas Charge will begin competition in the National Pro Fastpitch league in 2015. The Charge will provide elite softball players the opportunity to pursue a professional career and inspire the next generation of professionals. Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Charge organization and its players are committed to demonstrating leadership in community involvement, entertainment, and professionalism. Follow the Dallas Charge at www.dallascharge.com
About National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch is headquarted 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 name 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.