Brakettes Register Twin 8-0 Shutouts Over Xtreme; Complete Home Sweep

July 19, 2009

by Ilan Woll

The Stratford Brakettes returned to their offensive form Sunday, hitting four home runs enroute to run-rule 8-0 shutouts of the Western New York Xtreme by pitchers Kasey Barrett and Jen Russell to complete an eight win weekend. The sweep improves the Brakettes record to 35-4.

Game 1 saw Kasey Barrett, who was already enjoying an impressive Brakettes premiere weekend with a fifteen strikeout shutout of the Hudson Valley Express Gold on Friday and a relief win over the Western New York Xtreme on Saturday, facing Chelsea Plimpton, who threw five shutout innings against the Brakettes on Saturday.

The Xtreme threatened in the second inning. Ashley Bonetto singled. Two batters later Ashley Lodato singled to shallow leftfield, but Bonetto was caught trying for third by Lindsey Kay Bright’s strong throw to Jenna Lopez.

The Brakettes started their offense in the second inning as Jess Mouse doubled with one out. An out later, Bailey Sanders, playing first base between pitching starts, slammed a rise ball to left field, clearing the fence by ten feet for Sanders’ first home run since her freshman year in high school to end the inning with a 2-0 lead.

After Barrett retired the side in the third, the offensive fireworks continued. Following Lindsey Kay Bright’s single off of her Fordham teammate Plimpton, she then stole second base. Ashley Waters broke things open, homering to left, tying Denise Denis for the team lead with ten home runs. Denis, after attempting a bunt, retook the homerun lead with a slam over the fence in center for her eleventh dinger of the year to extend Stratford’s lead to 5-0.

Western NY threatened in the fourth as Nicki Sabuda hit a Barrett pitch deep to left field where the ball got stuck under the fence and was ruled a ground rule double. Ashley Bonetto’s infield single advanced Sabuda to third. However Jenna Baker flew to center to end the inning.

The Brakettes ended the game in the bottom of the sixth as Mandie Fishback walked and Jess Mouse was hit by a pitch. Following Jenna Lopez popping out to catcher Sabuda, Sanders doubled to the Ringor sign in right field, scoring both runners. Jill Cimminello then advanced Sanders to third with a ground ball fielded by Kelly Jones for the second out. Bright then slapped an infield single, with Sanders holding. Carly Normandin ended the game with a shot to the fence in left center bringing in Sanders for the run-rule victory.

Kasey Barrett completed the game allowing five hits and no walks, striking out five. Lindsey Kay Bright finished with three hits, with Bailey Sanders and Jess Mouse getting two each.

The second game saw Jen Russell facing Brittany Stratton. Pitching dominated the first two innings with Russell striking out four, threatened only by Ashley Bonetto’s single and steal of second base with no outs in the second. Ashley Waters doubled in the Brakettes’ first inning, but was kept from scoring as well.

The Xtreme’s defense cost them in the third. Following an error by Rachel Denney which put Stacey Lajoie on first, Bright slapped the ball to Brittany Stratton. A wild throw scored Lajoie from first and advanced Lindsey Kay to second. Carly Normandin then hit her fourth homer of the year to give the Brakettes a 3-0 lead.

The offense continued in the fourth as Amber Radomski and Jill Cimminello started off with singles. Lajoie bunted the runners into scoring position. Normandin drove them in with a double to left center to take a 5-0 lead.

Again, Stratford ended the game in the sixth inning. Radomski and Cimminello singled back to back with Bright singling to load the bases with one out. Normandin then hit the ball deep to right center, bouncing over the fence for a ground rule double, making it 7-0. With Bright at third and Normandin on second, Ashley Waters grounded to Kelly Jones at shortstop. Jones fired the ball to the catcher, but Bright slid under the tag for the 8-0 win.

Russell struck out nine, holding Western New York to two hits and two walks en route to the shutout. Carly Normandin was the offensive powerhouse for Stratford with two doubles, a home run, and six RBIs. Radomski, Cimminello and Bright all chipped in with two hits.

The Brakettes congratulate Jenna Lopez who joins the Puerto Rican national softball team at the Pan American Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela.

The Brakettes return to action this Thursday, July 23rd at 6:30 pm against the CT Mirage Gold Team starring Simsbury High School’s Kathleen Conway (19-3, 0.56 ERA) and Canton High’s Melissa Parente (.423, 7 HR).