Brakettes Take Two From Polar Crush; Raise Funds For Eddie Corcoran

August 3, 2007 - The Brakettes completed their regular season on Thursday night at DeLuca HOF Field in Stratford, with 9-0 and 8-0 wins over the Polar Crush, but the evening was about much more than softball. The Brakettes raised close to $3,500 for the Eddie Corcoran Fund, as the Brakette family grew to include a few more members.

The 2 and 1/2 year old Eddie Corcoran wasn't at the ballpark on Thursday, but the several hundred fans in attendance had their thoughts with him and his family. Eddie and his parents, Kevin and Colleen Corcoran, listened to the game from their hospital room in Boston, as close to 30 of his family members congregated at the ballpark. Eddie, who is fighting to beat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), recently required a bone marrow transplant from his father. His condition is further complicated by chromosomal damage, which affects only about 5% of those with ALL. The Brakettes did not charge for entrance to the game, but those in attendance were deeply moved by the story of the inspirational youngster, and gave generously to the cause.

Brakettes General Manager Bob Baird, who came up with the idea for the benefit game, echoed the sentiment of all the fans at the field. "This is the least we could do. Eddie's mother is my wife's cousin, and the entire family is touched by Eddie's plight. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eddie, Kevin, Colleen and their entire family. We have always said that the Brakettes are a family, that a Brakettes' game is a family atmosphere. We just extended the family that much more tonight, and we hope to see the little guy enjoying a game in person next year".

Everyone in attendance understood the greater cause Thursday, but there was still some old-fashioned fastpitch to be played. The Brakettes conjured up images of years past, as they wore their traditional red shorts, with red jerseys and stirrups. The "throwback" look was appropriate, as the Brakettes welcomed back several former players, on both sides of the field. Leslie Malerich appeared in her first game in the red and white since 2005, after having competed for the Italian National Team almost exclusively the past two seasons. Malerich first played for the Brakettes in 2001, before joining the Italians in 2002. She competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2002 and 2006 ISF World Championships. Two of her former teammates, Robyn King and Sara Jewett, coached the Polar Crush from the opposite dugout.

Malerich threw four no-hit innings in picking up the win, striking out 11 and allowing just two walks. Brandice Balschmiter, who appeared in relief in both contests, pitched two hitless innings after replacing Malerich.

Mandie Fishback started the scoring in the bottom of the first, smashing her fourth home run of the season over the left-center fence. She also drove in the second run for the Brakettes, sending Denise Denis home from third base with a third inning single. Fishback and Denis each had two hits for the hometown favorites, as did Whitney Mollica, Joanna Gail, and Jill Cimminello.

The Brakettes added three runs in the fourth inning, as Mollica led off with her second double of the game. She scored as Gail singled deep in the hole to short, prompting an errant throw, and sending Mollica home with the Brakettes' third run. Cimminello scored to drive in Gail, and scored on a single by Denis, putting the Brakettes up by five.

In the Brakettes' fifth, Cimminello came up with the bases loaded and a 5-0 lead. A hard-hit single got away from the left fielder, and cleared the bases. Cimminello was credited with two RBI, and advanced to third on the error. She scored the Brakettes' ninth run on a single by Amanda Morin.

Katie Burkhart started the second game for the Brakettes, pitching four perfect innings, while striking out seven. Balschmiter struck out two in the fifth, and the Brakettes' bats did the rest to end the game 8-0 after five.

Sari-Jane Jenkins led off the nightcap with a double, and advanced to third on Denis' bunt single. Fishback singled to plate Jenkins, quickly putting the Brakettes up 1-0. Denis soon came home with the second run as Bures reached on a fielder's choice. A grounder to the right side was converted to a force at second base, but the shortstop fired wide of first while trying to turn two, and the Brakettes' lead was 2-0. Bures pushed the lead to 3-0 when she raced home on Killian Roessner's grounder to third base.

Bures led off with a single in the third, and moved to second on a base hit by Beth Boden. Roessner pushed the runners up one base each with a groundout to short, and Stephanie Hill singled Bures home for a 4-0 lead.

Denis lined a one-out homer over the right field fence in the fourth inning, her fifth blast of the season, to go up 5-0. Fishback then reached on an error, and moved to second on a passed ball. Bures batted her home with a single, and later scored on a groundout by Boden.

The lead stood at 7-0 until the home fifth, when the Brakettes pushed the margin to 8-0, invoking the eight-run mercy rule. Gail reached on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second when Jenkins was struck by a pitch. Amanda Morin pinch-hit for Denis, and singled to load the bases. Amber Radomski subbed in for Fishback, and delivered a single to score Gail, bringing to a close the game and the Brakettes' regular season. With the two shutouts, the Brakettes improved to 52-5 for the season, and will travel to South Bend, IN to compete in the ASA Women's Major Fastpitch National Tournament, starting Saturday. The Brakettes are the defending champions, and have won four of the last five, and 27 titles overall.

Anyone interested in donating to the Eddie Corcoran Fund can do so by sending a check to:

The Eddie Corcoran Fund
c/o Bob Baird
185 Lordship Road
Stratford, CT 06615

Remember - 100% of the proceeds go directly to help defray the cost of Eddie's considerable medical bills. Any amount will be greatly appreciated.