Brakettes win Topton Tournament Title for 31-0 record

July 1, 2007 - TOPTON, PA- The Stratford Brakettes completed their march through the 39th Topton July 4th tournament with a pair of victories over the New York Freedom Sunday, including a 18-0, five-inning championship game. Earlier in the day, the Brakettes had defeated the Freedom 8-3 in the winner’s bracket final.

Brandice Balschmiter (16-0) pitched a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts to earn the Outstanding Pitcher Award in the tournament. Balschmiter didn’t allow a run in posting three victories as the Brakettes outscored five opponents 55-4.

The Brakettes improved their overall record to 31-0 while they extended their winning streak to 52 games, dating back to July 19, 2006. Five Brakettes were named to the all-tournament team; pitcher Candice Freel, catcher/DH Killian Roessner, second baseman Mandie Fishback, outfielder Sari-Jane Jenkins and shortstop Courtney Bures.

In the championship game, Whitney Mollica (4 RBI), Fishback (2 RBI), Denise Denis (2 RBI), Bures (two triples), Steph Hill (triple) and Roessner (double) all had three hits against loser Crista Cerone who pitched the entire game.

In Sunday’s winner’s bracket final, the Brakettes jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Freedom tallied three unearned runs off Freel, all via errors. The Brakettes then scored three insurance runs. Roessner had a three-run double, while Denis and Bures had triples and Jenkins two hits and two RBI.

The championship was the fifth in six tournament appearances for the Brakettes who also won it in 1991, 1998, 2002 and 2004. They finished runner-up in 2001 when the finals were rained out.

The Freedom finished 4-2 and gained the final by beating the TrailBlazers in the loser’s bracket final.

Winners Bracket Final

Brakettes 0 5 0 2 0 1 0 – 8-9-3
NY Freedom 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 – 3-4-2

B- Candice Freel (W, 15-0) and Chelsea Bramlett
NYF- Jen Martinez (L) and Kristine LaCastro

3B- Courtney Bures, Denise Denis
2B- Killian Roessner

Championship Game

Brakettes 1 5 8 4 0 – 18-22-0
NY Freedom 0 0 0 0 0 - 0-2-3

B- Brandice Balschmiter (W, 16-0) and Killian Roessner
NYF- Crista Cerone (L) and Lisa Jusino

3B- Courtney Bures (2), Steph Hill
2B- Killian Roessner