NEWEST BRAKETTES SLUGGER HAS ANSWERED THE 'CALL'

June 29, 2011 - If Stephanie Call continues on her torrid pace, she could rewrite the Stratford Brakettes single-season home run record by the end of the weekend. The first-year player enters Thursday night's 7 o'clock doubleheader with the CT Mirage 23-U with 10 home runs and 26 RBI. Following Thursday night’s games the Brakettes (18-0) play in Allentown, PA, Friday against the Patriettes 23-U at 7 p.m. at Pates Park before they open their title defense in the annual Lyons, PA, July 4th Tournament Saturday.

The team could play 11 games before returning home Sunday evening and if the 6-foot Call continues on her current pace she will erase the old record shared by Denise Denis (2009), Germaine Fairchild (2005) and Pat Dufficy (1990) at 15. Call has 48 official at-bats, averaging a home run once every 4.8 plate appearances or every 1.8 games played. Those ratios blow away the three record-holders with Denis’ figures the closest. Denise averaged a home run every 3.7 games and once every 11 at-bats two years ago. Call is also hitting .375.

"Joan Joyce (ex-Brakettes Hall of Famer and Florida Atlantic head coach) told me Stephanie was a good hitter, but I didn’t know she was this good," said veteran Manager John Stratton, who plans on using Call on the mound this weekend as well. Call is 3-0 in 22.3 innings and she has struck out 19 and walked six. Call had to sit out this spring after transferring from North Carolina State University, but she is expected to be the Owls’ top pitcher and hitter next season.

As a team the Brakettes have hit 25 home runs and they still have 70 percent of the season remaining. The record for home runs in a season is 65 in 2003, while last year’s team hit 44, which is good for second. Catcher Jordan Paolucci is second with three home runs. Second baseman Ashley Waters (.439, 19 RBI), catcher Alisa Heronema (.424), shortstop Mandie Fishback (.415, 11 RBI) and center fielder Carly Normandin (.410, 9 RBI) lead the Brakettes in hitting.

Rachele Fico, who is 50-0 in her Brakettes career, and Brandice Balschmiter (64-7 overall) are both in search of their eighth wins of the season Thursday night. The Brakettes are looking to extend their record-setting win streak to 76.

The Mirage 23-U brings a 7-1 record into the game and feature three talented pitchers in lefty Kathleen Conway, and right-handers Bridgett Gates of Lauralton Hall and Jojo Meunier. Conway was a first-team all-tournament player in last year’s Women’s Major Softball National Championship tournament.

       BRAKETTES BRIEFS- Saturday's schedule in Lyons features pool play games against the Black Widows (8:30 a.m.), Jersey Fusion (12 noon), Central PA Krunch (2 p.m.) and Diamondbacks (5:30 p.m.). . . The team has won this event six times and finished runner-up twice . . .Tickets for the Alumnae Weekend (July 8-10) will be on sale Thursday night at DeLuca Field. Over 100 former Brakettes are expected to attend the three-day event that features an old-timers game, home run derby, picnic and brunch.