RACERS READY TO RUN,
RUN, RUN
Akron Racers lineup ready to steal another title; Opener
Thursday, June 7, at 7:05pm
Akron, OH---
The Racers big guns, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist,
Crystl Bustos, Olympic Gold Medalist, Jenny Topping and
NPF All-Star, Oli Keohohou are gone from the potent
Akron roster. General Manager, Joey Arrietta has shifted
the Racers into high gear and has loaded the lineup with
speed. “We had to find a way to handle the incredible
pitching we will see this summer and I believe speed is
the answer,” remarked Arrietta.” I love the homerun when
you can get it but on an every day basis we needed
another dimension to our game.”
The
2007 Racers’ roster features a blend of proven veteran
players, two key free agents, the return of a former NPF
All-Star and Akron’s answer to the “nothing but speed.”
Three-time
All-Star, Iyhia McMichael slips back into
centerfield for her fourth season with the Racers.
McMichael is, by far, one of the most revered players in
the league after having captured the league’s MVP award
and the batting title in her rookie season. Since then
she has been among the league leaders in every offensive
category. Akron’s ace, Radara McHugh
returns for her fourth tour of duty after pitching the
Racers to the 2005 NPF title and then posting the NPF’s
best ERA (1.24) in 2006.
Perhaps the best one-two-punch in the league resides in
Akron with the addition of four-time All-American,
Alicia Hollowell. Hollowell led Arizona to
the 2006 Women’s College World Series Championship
mowing down nearly all of her former teammate, Jennie
Finch’s records. Alicia’s stats are staggering, making
her a far better teammate for Jennie than an opponent in
2007.
The
Racers’ speedsters include Oklahoma’s First-Team
All-American Norrelle Dickson, a finalist
for the 2007 College Player of the Year. The gifted
Sooner third baseman has joined the elite 300-200-100
club; 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases. Dickson
is only the 11th player in NCAA history to
have accomplished such a remarkable achievement in a
career. Her senior season she hit .453 scored 71 runs
and stole 37 of 44 bases.
Dickson’s rookie classmate, Kellie Middleton
(OF, Georgia) grabbed 47 of 50 bases en route to a .374
batting average with 50 runs scored and 42 RBI. The
fleet-footed Middleton earned Second Team Easton
All-American honors after leading the Bulldogs in almost
every offensive category.
Florida State’s Veronica Wootson heads
north to lace up her cleats in Akron. The versatile
Wootson will see action at second base and in the
outfield. Veronica hit .338, scored 59 runs and posted
34 of 40 stolen bases. All toll, the Racers rookies have
accumulated 121 stolen bases.
First-year field manager, Shonda Stanton,
the current and highly successful coach at Marshall
University for the past eight
seasons, has the perfect set of players to manage the
game she likes to coach. “I’m excited to get going and I
am very proud to have been given the opportunity to
coach such a talented group of athletes.”
Fasten your seatbelts and get on board to watch the
incredibly talented Racers “tear up the turf” at
Firestone Stadium this summer. (Ticket Information
call 330.376.8188) |
