Brakettes Top Polar Crush in Two Close Contests

July 31, 2008 - The Stratford Brakettes beat the Polar Crush twice at DeLuca Field Thursday night, by 2-0 and 5-2 scores. Bailey Sanders struck out a career-high 16 batters in the early game, while Brandice Balschmiter fanned 12 in the nightcap.

The last time that Sanders took the mound in the Brakettes-Polar Crush rivalry, she picked up a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Then again, that was on July 19, 2006, and Sanders was pitching against her current club. With a three-hit, complete game shutout, Sanders defeated the Brakettes that summer evening in impressive fashion.

Sanders again turned in a three-hit shutout Thursday, while leading the Brakettes to a 2-0 victory in the first contest, improving to 11-0 for the season. At one point, she recorded ten consecutive outs via strikeout, and was in control throughout.

Kaitlin Cochran plated the Brakettes' first run in the third, after she reached on a one-out single. She moved to second on a single by Denise Denis, and scored on a base hit by Whitney Mollica.

Mollica led off the sixth with a double, and stole third base. Ashley Waters walked, then stole second. The throw down was cut off by the second baseman, who fired home to try to get the breaking Mollica. The throw was not in time, and Mollica's run put the Brakettes up 2-0.

Former Brakette Robyn King currently serves as the coach of the Polar Crush, and ironically, was the Brakettes' starting pitcher in the 2006 upset. Her squad committed just one error in the doubleheader, and played well in their tune-up for the 18-and-under Gold Nationals next week in Oklahoma City.

The Polar Crush (32-8) would fight hard again in the second game. The Brakettes worked a 5-0 lead after three innings, but the Worcester, MA club team would not go away. Nicole Springer drove home Quianna Diaz-Patterson with a single in the fourth, after Diaz-Patterson led off the frame with a single of her own. Laureen Murphy walked in the seventh, and scored the Crush's second run on a wild pitch.

The Brakettes scored one in the first inning, without the benefit of a hit. Cochran was hit by a pitch, and pushed to second when Denis earned a walk. Fishback bunted to move up both base runners, and Mollica brought Cochran home to score with a sac fly to right.

Ashley Waters and Jess Mouse singled in the next inning, and Waters scored on a groundout by Jill Cimminello. Cochran followed with her first homer as a Brakette, pushing the margin to 4-0.

Fishback led off the third with a solo shot, her second of the season, and moved the Brakettes' lead to 5-0.

Balschmiter planted awkwardly in the fourth inning during a delivery to the plate, and had to walk it off. She was greeted by her concerned teammates and manager John Stratton at the mound, but was able to stay in. She struck out seven more batters after the scare.

The Brakettes improved to 46-1 with the victories, and will face the Stratford Seahawks Friday night at DeLuca Field at 7:00. Both games will be broadcast right here at www.brakettes.com.