Brakettes Finish Road Trip on Top in Pennsylvania

June 9, 2008 - The Brakettes defeated the Topton VIP's twice on Sunday afternoon in Lyons, PA, by identical 4-1 scores. Bailey Sanders picked up a win in her first start on the mound for Stratford, while helping herself with two hits at the plate. Sanders' debut came in the second game of the doubleheader, and was a full year in the making. She sat out the entire 2007 Brakettes' season with a right arm injury, in between her freshman and sophomore years at UMASS.

Ashley Waters smashed a two-run triple in the second inning of the early game, scoring Whitney Mollica and Amber Radomski. The Brakettes would not score again until the fifth, when Waters helped manufacture a run. She led off with a walk, and then pulled quite the base-running coup. Sanders laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Waters went from first to third, as she saw the bag was left unattended. Elisa Van Kirk grounded to the right side, and Waters broke for home on contact. VIP’s second baseman Mel Klaus threw home, but Waters slid around the tag and touched home with her left land, giving the Brakettes a 3-0 lead.

Brakettes' starting pitcher Leslie Malerich allowed a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Steph Denlinger drove in Lynn Spiezio with a single to right field. Malerich then saw her teammates make a series of spectacular plays behind her, squashing a potential Topton rally.

After Spiezio scored, Topton left fielder Toni DiFilippo rounded third and broke for home. Waters fired home from right field, as Brakettes’ catcher Jess Serio readied herself at the plate. DiFilippo saw the perfect throw and turned back toward third base. Serio caught the ball and immediately threw to Mollica at third, catching DiFilippo in a rundown. Mollica returned the volley, and Serio again threw back to Mollica, as DiFilippo slid safely back to the bag. Mollica saw that Klaus had strayed from second base, perhaps anticipating a play at the plate. Mollica threw to Mandy Fishback at second, and Klaus was caught in a pickle. Klaus broke for third, where she was tagged out by Mollica, after a strong throw delivered by Fishback. The unconventional out showed up in the official scorer’s book as 9-2-5-2-5-4-5.

Malerich struck out 14 for the game, and allowed only two hits. The Italian National Team ace improved to 3-0 on the season.

In the second game, the VIP’s took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as the Brakettes faced their first deficit of the season. Lindsay Trottier scored on a Candace Clark single, and the Brakettes would trail until the third inning.

Sanders led off the frame with a single, and moved to second on a sac bunt by Van Kirk. Lopez also singled, and both runners scored when Fishback lined a single to left. The Brakettes moved ahead 2-1, and would not relinquish the lead.

Stratford picked up two more runs in the seventh, when Laura Trout singled and stole second. Fishback doubled to score Trout, and was driven home by a single by Mollica. Sanders retired the side in the seventh to pick up the victory, as the Brakettes improved to 6-0 for the season.

The Brakettes will have their home opener on Thursday night at DeLuca HOF Field in Stratford. 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist Danielle Henderson will make her debut for the Brakettes on Friday night, when Stratford faces the CT High School Senior All-Stars.