Brakettes Top the VIP's in Pennsylvania

June 9, 2007 - The Stratford Brakettes completed their series sweep of the Dominican Republic National softball team Sunday night at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field by winning 9-0 and 10-2 in a pair of abbreviated games.

While the victories improved the team’s record to 24-0 on the season, and extended their current winning streak to 45 games, dating back to July 19, 2006, the Brakettes did so with heavy hearts. David O. Carpenter, the team’s beloved owner/sponsor of 12 years, died last Friday after a lengthy and courageous battle with several ailments. The players and entire Brakettes organization have dedicated this season to his memory.

With Manager John Stratton and his wife Micki, the former Brakettes catcher and first Brakettes player inducted into the National ASA Hall of Fame, en route to Woodhull, NY, for Monday’s funeral, his son Jay Stratton handled the managerial reigns. Jay and coach Rich Roessner were the masterminds of last year’s record-setting 27th National ASA Championship in Buffalo while John managed the organization’s Connecticut Brakettes in the National Pro Fastpitch league.

The Brakettes wasted little time in scoring Sunday as they collect four singles in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. A passed ball and Whitney Mollica’s hit accounted for the runs.

That was all Brandice Balschmiter (12-0), the UMass sophomore All-America pitcher, needed. She held the Dominicans hitless and struck out five batters. She hit Karina de los Santos leading off the fourth inning, otherwise it would have been a perfect game.

“I had better control of my pitches today (Sunday) than I did the last two nights,” said Balschmiter. While she had won both games, she allowed five earned runs after having not given up an earned run the entire season.

In the second inning, Chelsea Bramlett continued her assault on the record books with a one-out double that sent Denise Denis, who had singled, to third base. A passed ball, wild pitch, single by Steph Hill and Beth Boden’s double produced four runs for a 6-0 lead.

Jill Cimminello singled, Bramlett singled and Sari-Jane Jenkins was hit by a pitch to load the bases in the third. Courtney Bures’ two-run single and Hill’s sacrifice fly to center made it a 9-0 lead.

Balschmiter sent the Dominicans down in order in the fourth and fifth innings to end the contest.

Candice Freel improved to 12-0 on the year in the nightcap with a six-hit, nine strikeout outing.

For the third time in the series the Dominican Republic jumped on top by scoring twice in the first inning. De los Santos singled to lead off the game and two errors and a walk to Geovanny Nunez loaded the bases. Joslyn Martinez then singled home two runs.

The Brakettes were not worried as they countered with three runs in both the first and second innings. Boden’s two-run double and Killian Roessner’s RBI single put the Brakettes ahead 3-2 in the first, while a wild pitch, error and Bures’ sacrifice fly allowed Jill Cimminello, Denis and Jenkins to score for a 6-2 advantage.

Cimminello’s RBI triple and Denis’ fielder’s choice produced two more runs in the third before Roessner’s lined single to center field made it a 9-2 lead in the fourth. The Brakettes then left the Dominican Republic on the field as Jenkins singled home Denis for the eight-run mercy rule in the home fifth inning with only one out.

Bramlett had three hits and Jenkins and Roessner two hits apiece.

BRAKETTES BRIEFS- The team returns to action Thursday, June 28 against the Stratford Breakers at 7 p.m. at DeLuca Field. Pitching for the Breakers in game one will be Connecticut high school phenom Rachele Fico of Masuk (Monroe) High School, who led her team to the Class LL title and garnered MVP laurels in the tournament. She struck out 500 batters in a 27-1 sophomore campaign. . . The Brakettes will play in the 39th annual Topton July 4th Tournament beginning Friday night at Lyons Field in Topton. They will play the Reading Lady Rebelz at 8:30 p.m. in the first round. . . Fans wishing to make a donation in memory of Mr. Carpenter are asked to contribute to his favorite charity, Save the Children.