Pauly comes back to derail Rebellion’s quest for playoffs
The Rebellion’s Haruna Sakamoto reacts to the an umprie’s call after Akron’s Jessica Garcia was called safe at second base during the first inning of Wednesday’s game. Akron scored two runs in the inning and went on to a 4-2 win.
Rebellion pitcher Emily Weiman winds up during the first inning of Wednesday’s game against Akron.
It took a strong effort by a former player to deal the Pennsylvania Rebellion a setback in their desperate chase for a playoff berth.
Sarah Pauly, who arguably was the Rebellion’s best player last season, pitched five shutout innings and the Akron Racers jumped on Rebellion starter Emily Weiman early to come away with a 4-2 victory in a rare Wednesday morning game in front of 1,001 fans at Consol Energy Park.
The loss drops the Rebellion to 10-29 and will leave them 4 1/2 games behind the Dallas Charge for the fourth and final playoff berth in the National Pro Fastpitch Softball Championship Series next month in Hoover, Ala.
The Rebellion have eight full games remaining and the completion of a suspended game with Akron Aug. 7. That game will be part of a doubleheader at Consol Energy Park in the Rebellion’s final homestand of the season.
Akron, meanwhile, moved to within one game of .500 and will have at least a four-game lead over Dallas for the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.
Pauly was magnificent in her five innings, throwing just 70 pitches, striking out five, walking one and allowing just two hits. She struck out the first three Rebellion players and did not allow her first hit until second baseman Haruna Sakamoto led off the fourth inning with a single to left field.
“I think I had an advantage because I played here before,” said Pauly. “I’m comfortable with the turf and the mound. It was a fun first inning and I felt good out there.”
Pauly went 4-11 last season with a 2.61 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 99 innings. She was traded to Akron for a second-round pick in this year’s draft and a third-round pick in next year’s draft.
“It was sad that she left the Rebellion,” said manager Craig Montvidas. “She’s got a lot of experience. When she is out there, she operates like a surgeon.”
Pauly got all the runs she needed to run her record to 9-3 in the first two innings. Center fielder Taylor Schlopy sent an 0-1 pitch by starter Emily Weiman over the right field fence for a solo home run. Weiman put the next three batters on and Kelly Montalvo drove in the second run of the game with a single to centerfield.
Schlopy’s home run was her seventh of the season and ties her for the NPF lead with Kelly Kretschman of the USSSA Pride heading into Wednesday night.
“I was just looking to get on base,” said Schlopy, who has a .415 on-base percentage, good enough for fourth in the league. “I hit a curve. I look to go gap to gap.”
Akron took a 3-0 lead in the second when shortstop Jill Barrett led off with a triple to the right field fence and scored when Schlopy hit a ground ball that shortstop Whitney Arion mishandled for an error.
“That was my first triple,” said Barrett. “She threw me inside and I just went with it. If we score like that, four runs, we’ll win nine out of 10 games.”
Montvidas pulled Weiman in the second and three relievers – Allyson Fournier, Haylie Wagner and Dagmar Bloeming – allowed a combined one run over the final 5 1/3 innings. That run came in the sixth inning when Barrett singled to center to score second baseman Ashley Thomas, who got on after being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a bunt single by right fielder Ayumi Karino.
The Rebellion rallied in the bottom of the sixth scoring two runs. Catcher Kristyn Sandberg knocked in her second run in as many games when she beat out an infield single with the bases loaded. And for the second game in a row, Mandy Ogle had a pinch-hit single to drive in a run, this time sending Sarah Prezioso, who was pinch-running for Sandberg, home with a single to left field.
“I was just looking for something I could hit,” said Ogle. “You can’t be picky when you are not starting. The No. 1 thing this team is missing is that key hit. That’s what it comes down to.”