July 21, 2007
FAIRFAX, Va. -
Former Illinois State softball pitcher Stacy Birk was on the wrong end of a home run barrage Friday night, as she gave up two long balls to first-place Washington, suffering the 5-2 loss for Philadelphia in National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) action at the George Mason University Softball Complex.
Pitching with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Birk, a member of the 2007 Illinois State softball team that set a school record for home runs in a season (83), gave up a two-run home run to the Glory's Oli Keohohou, before Jessica Moore stepped to the plate later in the inning to deliver a decisive solo shot that took Birk out of the game, with the Force trailing 3-1.
Birk gave up three earned runs off five hits in three and one-third innings pitched. She picked up her sixth loss of the season, dropping her professional record to 2-6.
Birk continued her trend of being stingy with the walks, as she yielded just one base on balls in the loss. In her previous outing, a 4-3 victory over the Statford Brakettes on July 12, she gave up no walks, while allowing just seven hits in a complete game effort. Birk has given up just 14 walks in 46.1 innings pitched this season, the least among all Philadelphia starting pitchers.
With the loss, Philadelphia dropped to one game below .500 (13-14), and is now just one game ahead of sixth-place Chicago (13-15) in the NPF team standings.
Birk and the Force return to action Saturday when they wrap-up their four-game set with the Glory. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. from the George Mason University Softball Complex in Fairfax, Va.
