RACERS ENTER FINAL WEEKEND WITH PLAYOFFS IN SIGHT

Akron, Ohio - The Akron Racers are three games away from the close of the NPF 2008 regular season and they are right where any team wants to be: in the hunt for the playoffs.  The Racers (19-26) are currently half a game behind the New England Riptide (19-25) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Championship Series in Kimberly, Wisconsin. 

The Racers entered the final series tied with the Riptide, but fell behind on an 11-inning heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Force. 

The Racers took the early lead 1-0 in the fourth inning on a Susan Ogden RBI double that scored Norrelle Dickson.  The Force tied the game in the fifth and that where the score would stay.  Netiher team would budge as the score stayed tied all the way through 10 innings, and the first inning of the International Tiebreaker rule.  In the 11th inning, the Racers picked up a run when Angelena Mexicano scored on a wild pitch.  Mexicano started the inning on second base thanks to the tiebreaker rule.  Unfortunately for the Racers, the lead wouldn't last long.  Angela Tincher surrendered two runs on a Emily Friedman single, in her eleventh inning of work.  The Racers played relentless all night, and looked to be on a mission.  That fighting spirit is exactly what they need to continue on the rest of the season and make it to the playoffs.

The game as well as the season has no doubt been one full of ups and downs and leaves Akron with a chance at post season play.  After the Racers got off to a slow start, going 1-6 in their first seven games, the Racers played as hot as anybody going 11-3 from June 14 until July 9.  The streak showed they could play with not only the best the league had to offer, but the world as well as Akron had strong showings against the Washington Glory, the Philadelphia Force and the Dutch and Canadian National Teams.  The Racers have been led by a very strong nucleus of players with bright futures. 

At the front of that nucleus is rookie pitching ace Angela Tincher. The young pitcher currently is tied for the league lead in victories (12) and leads in strikeouts (151), and Tincher also holds the third lowest ERA (1.99) in the NPF.  Among Tincher's credits are also a no hitter against the defending champion Washington Glory and a one hitter vs the Force.

The Racers showed good depth behind Tincher as Angel Shamblin had a strong 3.02 ERA in 10 starts and Second year pitcher Jamee Juarez has been very tough in the last two weeks surrendering only 10 runs in 25.2 innings with two complete games in six appearances.  Those numbers give Juarez a 2.78 ERA in that stretch.  With the two pitchers and veteran Radara McHugh added to Tincher, the four posted a combined 3.23 ERA to this point in the year.

At the front of the Racers offensive attack is team captain and three year veteran Kristen Butler.  In an offense that often featured up to six players new to a Racers' uniform, Butler provided stability and production all year.  The Akron catcher is fifth in the league in batting average (.327), tied for fourth in home runs (10) and is second in the league in RBI's (33).   Those numbers make her one of only two players to be in the top five in all three categories in the NPF. 

After Butler, the Racers used a combination of speed and power to drive in runs.  Kellie Middleton, Veronica Wootson and Norrelle Dickson set the table for the heart of the lineup using timely hitting and speed on the basepaths to score 50 runs between the trio.  In addition to the runs, Dickson and Middleton led the team with more than 10 stolen bases a piece.

When Butler wasn't the one driving in the runs, she had very capable run producers behind her.  First baseman Kate Robinson (21) and Susan Ogden (17) drove in 38 RBI's combined while hitting eight and five home runs respectively.  Wootson also showed impressive pop at the top of the lineup as the reigning offensive player of the year drove in 17 RBI's while hitting seven homeruns. 

The Racers continue a four game stint against the third place Philadelphia Force (27-17) in Philadelphia through Saturday, while the Riptide get a four game series with the league leading Washington Glory (29-15) in New England to close out their season.  The Racers won three out of four games when Philadelphia came to Firestone Stadium earlier in the year.  Meanwhile, The Glory beat New England three out of four games in Washington to start the season off for New England.

No matter the result of weekend's final games one thing is sure, this year has been filled with lots of excitement and drama for a young Racers' team that has grown together throughout the season and promises to be a strong team in the future.