Brakettes Pick Up 50th Win of Season vs. St. Louis Saints

August 5, 2008 - The Stratford Brakettes twice surpassed the St. Louis Saints, perennial ASA Women's Major Fastpitch title contenders, Monday night at DeLuca HOF Field. The 8-3 and 8-1 victories were fueled by bursts of early offense by Stratford, as the Brakettes jumped ahead in both games.

Stratford scored two runs in the first inning of each game, sparked by Kaitlin Cochran's continued mastery at the plate. She had six plate appearances Monday, and came away with a 4-for-4 night with two walks, five runs scored, two stolen bases, and two RBI.

Brandice Balschmiter was perfect through three innings of the early contest, and flirted with a no-hitter. It was a two-out, three-run homer by Saints' centerfielder Amanda Clack that ended Balschmiter's no-hit bid in the sixth inning, drawing cheers from the visiting Saints' fans behind home plate. Balschmiter finished with 10 strikeouts, while allowing just two hits. She improved to 18-1 on the season.

The home first began with a double by Cochran to the gap in left center. She advanced to third on a sac bunt by Denise Denis, and scored on a sac fly to right by Mandie Fishback. Whitney Mollica added to the score with a solo shot to center, her team-leading ninth homer of the year, and the Brakettes went up 2-0.

The Brakettes scored again in the third, when Cochran walked with one out. She went around to third on a single by Fishback, and came home on a wild pitch by Saints' starter Autumn Allen.

Stratford broke the game open in the fourth inning, as Jenna Lopez and Ashley Waters both singled to start the frame. Laura Trout laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and nearly beat the throw to first. Both base runners moved up, and Jess Mouse walked to load the bases. With two outs, Cochran singled to bring home Lopez. The lead was 4-0, and Denis strode to the plate with a golden opportunity, which she made the most of. She crushed a grand slam over the centerfield fence, her seventh long ball of 2008, and pushed the lead to 8-0.

Leslie Malerich earned the win in the second game, allowing one run on three hits, while fanning 12 batters. She improved to 14-0 on the year.

Cochran was again a spark plug in the late contest, smacking a single to start the first inning. She stole second, and scored on a hit by Mollica. Lopez came up with a 1-0 lead, and delivered a single to left. The ball squirted away from the Saints' leftfielder, allowing Mollica to score and Lopez to advanced to second. The Brakettes held a 2-0 lead going into the second inning.

Malerich worked a 1-2-3 first inning, before struggling in the second. She was given a lead to work with, and toiled hard to keep it.

After allowing a leadoff single to Candace Curtis, Malerich threw a pitch in the dirt, sending Curtis to second base. Audrey Childress grounded to Fishback at second, whose only play was to first. Shea Lodes came through with an RBI single to score Curtis, giving the Saints their only run in the nightcap. The Brakettes owned a 2-1 lead, but the Saints had runners at first and second with just one out. Malerich worked out of trouble with two big strikeouts, preserving the lead for Stratford.

The Brakettes' bats again provided separation, as they came up with four runs in the bottom of the second off St. Louis starting pitcher Alaina Jacobson.

Trout led off with a double, and moved to third on a sacrifice by Mouse. Cochran delivered a run-scoring single with two outs, plating Trout, and putting Stratford up 3-1. She stole second and moved to third as the throw down sailed into centerfield. Cochran then scored the Brakettes' fourth run on a wild pitch. Denis earned a four-pitch walk to extend the inning, and Fishback and Mollica singled to load the bases. Lopez delivered her second base hit of the game to score Denis and Fishback, and the Brakettes' lead would stand at 6-1.

Stratford picked up two more runs in the sixth, when Jill Cimminello and Cochran walked with no outs. Fishback, who had four hits on the night, doubled home both runners and closed out the scoring at 8-1.

The Brakettes (50-1) and St. Louis Saints will battle again Tuesday at 12 noon ET at DeLuca HOF Field. The early start provides extra travel time for both teams, as they prepare for the ASA Women's Major Fastpitch Nationals in Amherst, NY, which start Thursday.

Both games Tuesday, and all Brakettes' games from Nationals will be broadcast right here at www.brakettes.com.