Costly errors foiled the Bandits for the second day in a row as the Akron Racers (26-14) were able to take down the Bandits (23-11) by a score of 4-0 in the Sunday afternoon battle.
Jennie Finch (5-2)) was solid in the circle for the Bandits, but defensive mishaps cost Chicago a win as runners came around to score in the sixth and clinch the victory.
With Stacy May on first in the bottom of the third, Bandits’ rookie Amber Patton dropped a timely bunt to move May around to third. Patton, who reached on an error, moved to second one pitch later with a stolen base.
After May was caught in a run down between third and home on a missed suicide squeeze bunt by Jennie Finch, Patton moved to third with two down. Jamee Juarez buckled down in the circle to end the threat by striking out Finch for the final out of the third.
Crystl Bustos placed the Racers firmly on the board in the top of the fourth when she blasted a solo home run off Chicago’s Finch, over the left field fence for the 1-0 lead.
With two on and two down in the bottom of the fourth the Bandits threatened with Cheyenne Jenks at the plate. After battling off numerous pitches to a 3-2 count, Akron’s Kate Robinson sent Jenks back to the dugout swinging on a drop third strike, keeping the score at 1-0 in favor of the Racers.
Akron plated another run in the top of the sixth when Jackie Pasquerella came around to score after Jenny Topping blasted the ball to second base. The ball, misplayed by Fox at second, carried into right field and allowed Topping to reach second on the play, putting Akron up 2-0.
Two batters later, Akron plated two more runs when Fox misplayed another ball at second base, allowing two more to score and put the Racers up 4-0.
Robinson held tough in the circle to get the save for the Racers as she held the Bandits to no runs the remainder of the way through.
