Brakettes Lead Sliders 2-0 As Play Suspended In Winner's Bracket Final; Game To Be Completed Tuesday At 10:00 a.m.

August 6, 2007 - The Brakettes' two first inning runs against the California Sliders Sunday night served as the only tallies of the contest, as play was suspended in the top of the fourth, with the Brakettes at bat. Lightning struck in the vicinity of the Belleville Softball Complex in South Bend, IN, and the rain showers followed soon thereafter. The game will be started from the point of interruption at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, with Stephanie Hill at the plate for the Brakettes, with one out and a 1-2 count.

The Brakettes scored their two runs in the top of the first, as Sari-Jane Jenkins led off with a bunt single. Jenkins then stole second to put a runner in scoring position. With one out, Mandie Fishback also reached base on a bunt single, pushing Jenkins to third. Fishback took second base on a passed ball, as Courtney Bures batted. Bures dropped down a perfectly placed suicide squeeze bunt up the third base line, and Jenkins raced home. Fishback saw the throw get away from Sliders' catcher Samantha Marder, and came home to score the second run. Bures stood safely at first with the Brakettes' third bunt single of the inning, and the manufactured runs stood as the difference when play was called.

Katie Burkhart worked three scoreless innings on the mound, getting out of trouble in the second. Cambria Miranda singled with one out, and Melissa Sanchez followed with a double which hit the left field fence. Miranda was held at third, giving the Sliders second and third with one out. Burkhart responded by striking out the next two batters, and the Brakettes protected the two run lead.

As the Brakettes and Sliders stopped play in the winner's bracket final, the other game in progress was also halted. The Carbondale Cougars and Southern California Hurricanes were the only other teams still alive, and saw their loser's bracket semi-final stopped with the Cougars winning in the fourth inning. The four teams waited it out for quite some time, before the Hurricanes finally forfeited their game, and took off for the west coast. The Cougars advanced to the loser's bracket final, awaiting the loser of the Brakettes-Sliders matchup. The Cougars, who apparently would not have enough players to compete Tuesday, had to conceed their next game once play was called for the night, thus taking home the third-place trophy.

The disqualifications left the Brakettes and Sliders as the only teams remaining in the double-elimination tournament, with neither team having a loss. The completion of the suspended game will be followed by another between the two teams, as the champion will be decided only after the other team has two losses. The possibility exists that the Brakettes and Sliders will play three games Tuesday, with at least two in the forecast. Unfortunately for the players and softball fans in South Bend, more rain also looms on the horizon for Tuesday. The completion of the suspended game and the ensuing game(s) will be broadcast right here at www.brakettes.com. Please follow our website for updates in the morning.

Monday, 12:30 PM