Brakettes Sprint Past Field to Capture Fourth of July Title

July 4, 2010 - The Stratford Brakettes won the Lyons Fourth of July Tournament Sunday with a pair of victories over the Lyons (PA) Spirit. Stratford beat the Spirit 8-0 in the winner's bracket final, and again later in the championship game by a 10-0 margin.

Rachele Fico (12-0) and Erin Gallagher (5-1) earned the victories for Stratford, limiting the Spirit to a combined four hits in the two contests. Carly Normandin has a spectacular weekend at the plate, going 10-for-12 in four games, with 11 RBI and nine runs scored. She contributed one home run, three doubles and two triples.

The Brakettes and Spirit were scoreless in the first game until the second inning, when Stratford plated two runs. Mandie Fishback led off with a walk, and was sacrificed to second by Lyndsay Mouse. Lindsey Kay Bright then reached on a two-out bunt single, and both runners scored easily on a triple by Normandin to provide a 2-0 lead.

The Brakettes pounded out five singles in the third inning to score four more runs.

Denise Denis started the frame with a walk and moved up a base on a single by Kristyn Sandberg. Jess Serio delivered a single to score Denis from second, and the throw from centerfield was off the mark, allowing Sandberg to head home from first base. Serio advanced all the way to third on the error, and the Brakettes were up 4-0.

Fishback pushed Serio across the plate when she flew out to left field. Serio tagged from third on the sac fly, and Stratford increased the margin to 5-0. Lyndsay Mouse and Jess Mouse continued the rally with consecutive singles, and Lyndsay Mouse scored on a base hit by Normandin to push the lead to 6-0.

The Brakettes closed out the win in run-rule fashion by scoring two runs in the fifth, leaving the Spirit on the field.

Amber Radomski and Jess Mouse reached on singles, and the bases were loaded when Christine DellaVecchia beat out an infield base hit. Normandin grounded out to second base to send Radomski home with the seventh run, and Mouse scored the decisive eighth run on a grounder to short by Ashley Waters.

The win advanced Stratford to the championship game, while the Spirit had to wait to play the winner of the Lehigh Valley (PA) Gators and Central PA Krunch for a chance to get another crack at the Brakettes.

The Gators earned the win over the Krunch 5-4 in eight innings, setting them up for a tilt with the Spirit. Lyons prevailed 3-2 and qualified for the championship game in the process.

The Brakettes needed just one win to capture the hardware, while the Spirit needed to beat the Brakettes twice to win it all.

Normandin reached second on a two-base error to start the first inning and moved to third on an infield single by Waters. Normandin put the Brakettes up 1-0 with some fancy base running. Waters took off for second and drew a throw down, allowing Normandin the chance to race home. Waters was safe at second on the play.

Bright led off the third with a bunt single and stole second base. Normandin then completed her weekend cycle by lining an opposite-field home run to left. The shot put the Brakettes up 3-0. Denis lofted a triple over the head of right fielder Noisy Sommer, and scored on a double by Serio to stretch the margin to 4-0.

Lyndsay Mouse nailed a triple to open the home fourth, and scored on a single by Jess Mouse. Bright then reached on another bunt single, and a throwing error by the catcher allowed Mouse to score from first base for a 6-0 lead. Bright went to third on the error and crossed the plate on a base hit by Normandin. With a 7-0 margin, the Brakettes needed just one more score for the chance to end the contest early.

Waters flew out the left field, and Normandin tagged to take second base on the out. Denis singled a liner to shallow right field, but drew a throw to first base from the outfield. The throw sailed over the Brakettes’ dugout and let Normandin score Stratford’s eighth run. Denis scored on a base hit by Sandberg, giving the Brakettes a 9-0 advantage. Serio scored on a single by Fishback, closing out the scoring at 10-0.

Gallagher closed out the one-hit shutout in the fifth inning, giving the Brakettes their second tournament championship in as many weeks.

The Brakettes will return to the diamond this Thursday night at DeLuca Field in Stratford, when they host the New Jersey Pride in a doubleheader at 7:00.

All Brakettes home games are video webcast at brakettes.com.