Aug. 10, 2007
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -
After three-straight rough outings, former Illinois State softball pitcher Stacy Birk was in need of a good pitching performance Thursday night, as her Philadelphia Force sit in a tight battle for a playoff spot in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Birk and the Force got the performance that they were looking for, as the right-hander led Philadelphia to a 5-4 victory over the Michigan Ice at ECTB Stadium in Allentown, Pa.
After the Ice went scoreless through the first two innings, Force right fielder Trena Peel gave her starting pitcher a one-run lead (1-0) in the bottom of the second with a home run to center field.
Following a Michigan run in the top of the third inning, Philadelphia came roaring back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, 3-1. After left fielder Jaime Dacey singled to right center, and speedster Sharonda McDonald beat out an infield single back to the Ice's pitcher, Ashley Hamby, the Force resorted to a little small-ball to push across two runs. Emily Friedman advanced Dacey and McDonald one base apiece off a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher. The duo came around to score later in the inning thanks to a Philadelphia sacrifice fly that scored Dacey, and then a single to right field that brought in McDonald.
With the Ice going scoreless off Birk in the top of the fourth inning, the Force increased their lead by two runs (5-1) in the bottom of the inning thanks to some shaky pitching from Michigan's Hamby. After reaching base on an infield single to the shortstop, Clare Burnum advanced all the way to third base via a passed ball off the glove of Michigan catcher Miranda Ervin. With Dacey on first base after drawing a walk, Hamby began to unravel, throwing a wild pitch that scored Burnum and pushed Dacey over to third base. Friedman drove Dacey in with a single to left field, ending the Force offensive output with a comfortable 5-1 lead.
The game began to get a little unsteady for Birk and Philadelphia in the top of the fifth inning. Auriel Jenkins hit a three-run home run to left field that dropped the Force's lead to just one run (5-4), the final margin of victory in the game. Birk was pulled from the game after allowing two more Michigan base runners to reach base.
Birk pitched four and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, while striking out three Ice batters and walking one. She improved her professional pitching record to 3-6.
With Birk's victory in the books, Philadelphia completed a day/night doubleheader sweep over Michigan Thursday. The Force are on a three-game winning streak, and now own sole possession of fourth place in the NPF league standings with a record of 22-17 (.564).
Birk and Philadelphia return to action Friday at 6:05 p.m. CDT when they conclude their four-game set with Michigan at ECTB Stadium in Allentown, Pa. Philadelphia plays its final regular-season home series, Aug. 16-19, against the New England Riptide.
