US National Softball Team Extends Tryout to Sarah Pauly

September 15, 2006 - Sarah Pauly’s National Pro Fastpitch rookie season was expected to be special, and it certainly was, as she garnered the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher Award. While the Brakettes finished their inaugural professional season as runner-ups in the NPF Championships Series, the post-season accolades and honors keep coming for Pauly. It was recently announced that Pauly has been granted a tryout for the US National Softball Team. The combines will be held in Chula Vista, CA, starting September 18th. This is Pauly’s first invite to try out for the National Team. Brakettes’ manager John Stratton was relieved once he heard the good news. "I’ve been saying for the last couple years that she is the most over-looked pitcher in the country. She had a fantastic season in NPF play, and apparently raised enough eyebrows this time around. She deserves this chance, as she has just been super for us."

Sarah sported some overpowering numbers in her first full season facing NPF competition. With a 15-5 record, she tied for the league lead in wins. Her 1.22 ERA led the NPF outright, while her 138 strikeouts put her in second place among league leaders. She started 18 games and finished all of them, throwing 143 innings, while giving up just 94 hits. With only 36 walks allowed on the season, her strikeout-to-walk ratio was nearly 4 to 1. Pauly also reached 10 strikeouts in five different games, twice striking out 13 in a contest during the regular season. Pauly saved one of her best performances of the year for the post-season, in the Brakettes’ 1-0 win over the defending champion Akron Racers, in the NPF Championship Series semi-finals. Going head-to head with Racer ace Radara McHugh, Pauly went all eight innings, striking out 14 and thwarting all Akron rallies en route to the victory. She also pitched the Championship contest, battling tough with fellow 15-game winner Jocelyn Forest of the Riptide, but the Brakettes came up just short of the Cowles Cup Championship trophy.

Sarah was gracious in reflecting on the season, while looking forward to the tryout. "I have to thank my teammates, who provided me all the support I needed this year, especially Callie Piper, who was great working behind the plate all season. Johnnie (Stratton) expects a lot from me, and I’m just glad to have such an opportunity now. He has campaigned for my cause, and it’s really appreciated."

Stratton argued that Sarah needed no such campaign, as her numbers speak for themselves. "Are you kidding me? Anyone who has seen this kid pitch knows how deserving she is of this honor. She proved to be an elite pitcher, the best in the league. We are extremely proud and happy for her."

Brakettes’ GM Bob Baird agreed with Stratton’s analysis, "Sarah Pauly was everything we hoped she would be this year. She now has a chance to prove herself against the best of the best, and she deserves every iota of praise she has been given. She’s bigtime."

Pauly, who with Nikki Myers formed one of the best pitching 1-2 punches in the league, joins fellow Brakettes Kelly Kretschman and Jessica Merchant with invitations to the national camp.

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