STRATFORD BRAKETTES (44-1) BEGIN FINAL HOME STAND; POLAR CRUSH PROVIDES OPPOSITION THURSDAY NIGHT

July 31, 2008 - The final home stand of the 2008 season is on tap for the Stratford Brakettes as they play 10 games in the next six days. The action starts Thursday night at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field as the Polar Crush of Worcester, MA, visits Stratford for a 7 o'clock doubleheader.

Manager John Stratton's Brakettes (44-1) host the Stratford Seahawks for the final time this season Friday at 7 p.m. before the Brakettes and Seahawks participate in a round-robin event Saturday. The Brakettes will host the New York Freedom (24-3) at 6:30 p.m. and B.A.T.S. (20-7) of Poughkeepsie, NY, at 8:30 p.m. The Seahawks play the Freedom at 2 p.m. and then take on B.A.T.S. at 4 p.m.

Following Saturday's action, the Brakettes will host the St. Louis Saints Monday at 7 p.m. and Tuesday in a 12 noon twin-bill. Both the Brakettes and Saints leave Wednesday morning for Amherst, NY, for the ASA Women's Major Fastpitch Tournament. Tuesday is Brakettes Summer Camp and Playground Day with all area youngsters attending camps and playgrounds invited guests of the team.

Coached by former Brakettes pitcher Robyn King, the Crush is New England's top-ranked 18-and-under Gold softball team. They will be participating in next week's National Tournament in Oklahoma City. Two years ago the Crush handed the Brakettes a 1-0 loss. The winning pitcher in that game was Bailey Sanders, who allowed only three hits. Sanders (10-0, 0.72 ERA) is a member of the Brakettes pitching staff this season that has allowed opponents a .136 batting average. King was the hard-luck loser for the Brakettes as she allowed only a two-out double by Judy Stomo after a walk to Lea Francona in the seventh inning.

The race for the batting title has tightened up considerably with Whitney Mollica (.469, 33 RBI) still leading but Denise Denis (.457) has made a late charge. Denis also has 29 RBI and six home runs, to trail Mollica by two. Jessica Mouse (.304) and Ashley Waters (.403) trail Mollica with 32 RBI, while Jenna Lopez (.375) with 28, Mandie Fishback (.346) with 27, Laura Trout (.400) with 26 and Amber Radomski (.291) and Jessica Serio (.326) with 22 apiece have played vital roles as the Brakettes have scored 311 runs this year.

Newcomer Kaitlin Cochran, who had 12 hits in last week's four-game sweep of the Seahawks, is hitting .500 (24-for-48) but she won't have enough official at-bats to qualify for the batting title. Waters is the leader with 20 extra base hits. She and Mouse both have 13 doubles, while Lopez is next with 18 extra base hits.

Balschmiter (15-1, 0.33 ERA), Leslie Malerich (12-0, 0.26), Danielle Henderson (4-0, 1.00) and Rachele Fico (3-0, 0.71) complete the talented pitching staff that has combined for 460 strikeouts in 289 innings. Malerich has been phenomenal as she hasn't allowed a run since the opening weekend of the season. She has yet to permit an extra base hit and has held opponents to an .065 batting average.