Brakettes Rally to Defeat Dominican Republic 5-2 in First Game, Power Their Way to 6-0 Nightcap Win

June 22, 2007 - The Brakettes faced their toughest competition yet this season on Friday night, facing off against the Dominican Republic National Team, taking both games of the doubleheader at DeLuca HOF Field in Stratford, CT. The Brakettes, who improved to 20-0 for the season, trailed the Dominican Republic for most of the first game. The Dominican Republic jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first off of Brakettes' starter Brandice Balschmiter. Dominican pitcher Luisa Nunez helped her own cause by recording a two-out single off of Balschmiter, and was driven home on a triple by Geovanny Nunez. The run marked the first earned run of the season allowed by Balschmiter.
The Brakettes trailed until the fifth, as Beth Boden led off the inning with an infield single. She moved to second base when Jill Cimminello earned a walk, and both base runners moved up on a wild pitch. Chelsea Bramlett, who leads the team in batting, smacked an RBI single to bring home Boden and tie the game at 1-1. Bramlett later scored on a Courtney Bures sacrifice fly to left field to put the Brakettes up 2-1.

Balschmiter, who had retired 12 straight batters after Claudia Batista's second inning single, gave up a leadoff base hit to Mariela Martinez in the sixth. Martinez used two fielder's choice groundouts to get to third base with two outs. The Brakettes' lead proved to be short lived, as Geovanny Nunez came through for the Dominican Republic again, knocking a single to score Martinez, and tie the game at 2-2.

The Brakettes came right back in the home sixth with a two-out rally of their own. Denise Denis reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, then advanced on Boden's single. Cimminello followed with another walk to load the bases, setting the stage for Bramlett once again. The switch-hitting Bramlett, batting from the right side, belted a triple over the center fielder's head, bringing home three runs and putting the Brakettes up 5-2. Balschmiter responded by pitching a 1-2-3 seventh inning, capped off with a strikeout of Vitalia de la Rosa. Balschmiter had five strikeouts on the night, scattering five hits to improve to 10-0 on the season. Boden went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, and Bramlett had two hits, four RBI, and a run scored for the Brakettes.

Bramlett set the table once again for the Brakettes in the second contest, as she led off the game with a single and scored on an error to put the red and white up 1-0. Candice Freel improved to 10-0 on the year, as she had great command throughout the game, allowing just two hits and no walks. She also struck out six batters.

The Brakettes pulled away in the third, scoring five runs to push the lead to 6-0. Sari-Jane Jenkins led off with a single, and Mandie Fishback followed with one of her own. Bures advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Stephanie Hill walked to load the bases. Boden then nailed a double to score two runs, and increase the lead to 3-0. Denis knocked in Hill with a single through the left side to go up 4-0, and Amber Radomski walked to again load the bases. Bramlett finished the second game 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run, giving her five hits, six RBI, and two runs scored for the evening. Boden had four hits on the night, scoring three times, and driving in two.

Geovanny Nunez pitched the second game for the Dominican Republic after her offensive onslaught in the first. Freel retired her all three times they faced off, including twice for the last out of an inning. Geovanny Nunez struck out five and walked three, while Luisa Nunez struck out two and walked five in the first game.

The Brakettes will again host the Dominican Republic on Saturday night at 7:00, and Sunday evening at 6:00. Tickets are still available at the gate, and all youth league softball players wearing their team jersey get in for free.