Brakettes Drop Rival Seahawks Twice in Team USA Tune-Ups

July 18, 2008 - The Brakettes defeated the Stratford Seahawks twice Friday night at DeLuca, improving to 38-0, in hard-fought 4-1 and 6-0 battles. Leslie Malerich threw her fifth no-hitter of the year in the nightcap, picking up her tenth win. Brandice Balschmiter improved to 14-0 with her victory in the early contest.

The Seahawks continued their recent trend in games with the Brakettes, taking an early lead against the reigning ASA National Champions, before seeing the game slip away. Kim Church led off the first game with a double to left-center. She jetted to third when the ball was mishandled in the outfield. Shari D'Amico was hit by a pitch, and Jess Arremony earned a walk, loading the bases with no outs. After Balschmiter struck out Nicole Downs, Christine Bourdeau grounded to third. Jess Mouse made a diving stop to her left, snagging a ball seemingly destined for left field. Mouse got the out at first, as Church raced home to put the Seahawks up 1-0.

The score would stand until the third inning, when Jess Serio led off with a ground-rule double to left. Kaitlyn Cochran placed a perfect bunt on the third base foul line, moving Serio to third. Cochran noticed second base was unprotected, and she grabbed the extra bag while the infield watched. Denise Denis smashed a shot to right field, which bounced over the fence for another ground-rule double. Both Serio and Cochran scored to give the Brakettes a 2-1 lead.

Laura Trout singled to lead off the home fourth, and stole second base. She scored on a single by Serio to push the margin to 3-1.

Whitney Mollica smashed a double to left center to open the sixth, and moved to third on a sac bunt by Trout. Mouse brought her home with a single, closing out the scoring at 4-1.

Balschmiter settled in after the first inning, and allowed just three hits, while striking out five. Balschmiter got Church to ground out to third base to end the game, stranding two base runners, and squelching the Seahawks' last chance.

Leslie Malerich stole the show in the second game, striking out 15, and allowing just two walks. The gem followed a streak of four-straight no-hitters and three-straight perfect games earlier in the season for the Italian National Team hurler. She stands at 10-0 for the season.

Cochran scored the Brakettes' first run in the bottom of the first, as she led off with a walk and advanced on a sac bunt. Mandie Fishback singled to right, and Cochran ran home on a missed cut-off throw.

Cochran scored another run in the third, when she started the inning with a single. She ended up on third as the ball kicked around the infield. Jenna Lopez reached on an infield single, leaving Cochran at third. Lopez stole second, drawing a throw and releasing Cochran, who slid in safely at home. Lopez then took third on the throw home, before scoring on a sac fly by Mollica. The Brakettes had pilfered their way to a 3-0 lead, and would add three more in the sixth.

Lopez drilled a single to score Bailey Sanders and Cochran, both of whom had also singled. Lopez came home with sixth and final run, setting the stage for her fielding heroics in the seventh.

After having struck out six straight batters, Malerich came to the mound in the seventh needing just three outs to complete the no-hitter. Leadoff hitter Arremony smashed a liner to center, which Lopez had a track on immediately. The centerfielder came in to her left and dove, making a phenomenal catch, fully outstretched with her glove just inches from the ground. Malerich and the crowd cheered in appreciation, and the right-hander retired the last two batters to preserve the no-no.

The same-town rivals will meet again tonight at DeLuca HOF Field in Stratford, in a 7 pm doubleheader. Both games will be broadcast here at www.brakettes.com.