Rookies Lead Brakettes to Opening Night Sweep

June 4, 2011 - Stephanie Call clobbered three home runs and Jordan Paolucci added one of her own, as the Brakettes' newcomers paced the club's offensive attack in a 3-0, 8-0 sweep of the Stratford Seahawks on Friday night at DeLuca Field.

The Brakettes' youngs bats were complemented well by a pair of veteran pitchers. Rachele Fico struck out 15 batters in the early game, allowing just two hits and no walks for a complete game shutout. Brandice Balschmiter struck out 10 Seahawks in the run-rule shortened nightcap. She allowed one hit and surrendered one walk.

Paolucci provided Fico with all the offense she needed in the second inning, blasting an opposite-field homer to right for a 1-0 lead.

Call added to the tally with a line drive solo shot in the third, giving the Brakettes a 2-0 cushion. She would close out the scoring at 3-0 in the sixth with her second home run of the contest.

Becca Carden and Alisa Heronema each provided two hits in the first game, and fellow newcomer Katie Bowen also had a base hit. The 'rookies' showed no visible nerves in their debuts, as they accounted for eight of the team's nine hits in the first game.  

Paolucci also scored the first run in the late game, after leading off the second inning with a double to right. Mandie Fishback pushed her to third with a single and moved to second on an error. After Melissa Mancuso walked, Sarah Calgreen drove in Paolucci on a fielder's choice for a 1-0 advantage.

Denise Denis singled with one out in the third, bringing Call back up to the plate. Call responded with a mammoth shot to left-center, her third home run of the evening, to put the Brakettes up 3-0.

Ashley Waters opened the game up with a three-run homer to center in the fourth frame. The blast brought home Mancuso and Normandin for a 6-0 margin. Mancuso, another Brakette making her debut, singled with one out in the inning. Normandin, the 2010 team batting queen, reached base with her third walk of the night.

Call walked in the fifth inning and Fishback contributed her second hit to put two on base. They both eventually scored on wild pitches to close out the nightcap for an abbreviated 8-0 win.

Sheri Paci had a hit in each game for the Seahawks, while Kelly Olencki had the team's other hit. Kristen Anderson held the Brakettes to three runs in the first contest, pitching out of trouble often in her six-inning stint. Gina Treglia was the starter in the second game.

The Brakettes extended their win-streak to 58 games, with their last loss coming in the second game of Opening Night 2010 against the Newtown (PA) Rock. The Brakettes and Rock will meet one year to the day from the Rock's 7-3 upset win in a doubleheader on Saturday night at 7:00.