Veteran Brakettes Prevail Against Youthful Pride

July 7, 2011 - The Stratford Brakettes extended their winning streak to 85 games Thursday night at DeLuca Field with two victories over the New Jersey Pride. The Brakettes showed off their power with four homers on the evening, with Ashley Waters going deep in both games.
Rachele Fico dominated in the first contest, throwing a five-inning perfect game, aided by a controversial call in the fourth inning which went her way. Fico struck out 12 and did not allow a ball out of the infield, while improving to 13-0 for the season.

Pride centerfielder Kiki Baldassari appeared to have clearly beaten the throw after laying down a bunt with one out in the fourth, but was called out at first.

Waters gave Stratford a 1-0, first-inning lead with her fifth homer of the season, a line drive shot to right-center.

The Brakettes would not look back, sending 11 batters to the plate in the second inning, while plating eight runs for a 9-0 edge.

Becca Carden started the rally with one out, reaching base on an infield hit. Katie Bowen reached on a fielder’s choice, as the Pride unsuccessfully tried to get the lead runner at second. Melissa Mancuso followed with a single to score Carden from second, putting Stratford up 1-0.

Alisa Heronema reached on a bunt single to load the bases for Carly Normandin, who launched a sac fly to score the tagging Bowen. Mancuso took the extra base and headed to third on the play.

Waters picked up her second RBI with a base hit to send Mancuso home, giving the Brakettes a 4-0 lead. Denise Denis brought Heronema in with a bloop double, which also sent Waters to third. Stephanie Call roped a double to left to score both Waters and Denis, giving Stratford a commanding 7-0 margin.

Mandie Fishback, whose parents and paternal grandmother traveled in from Oregon for Alumnae Weekend, pleased the crowd with a towering shot to left-center to close out the scoring. The home run was Fishback’s second of the year and put Stratford up 9-0.

The Brakettes would not score again, as Michelle Fox came in for the Pride and pitched well in relief.

The Brakettes were challenged in the nightcap, as they were outhit by the Pride, 4-3. Unfortunately for New Jersey, all three Brakette hits were run-scoring, with an RBI-double in the second and back-to-back homers in the third.

Fishback reached with one out in the second on a walk. Becca Carden then grounded to the left side, and Pride third baseman Cassidy Trauss fired to Gianna Cuffari at second for the force out. Carden stole second base, putting her in scoring position for Amber Radomski, who would not disappoint.

Radomski lofted a one-hop double to the fence in right-center, scoring Carden for a 1-0 lead.

Mariel Schlaefer led off the third for the Brakettes with a walk, bringing leadoff hitter Normandin to the plate. Normandin drilled her sixth homer of the season to stretch the margin to 3-0.

Waters took the very next pitch to dead centerfield for her sixth long ball of 2011, putting Stratford up 4-0.

Steph Thomas came on in relief after the two home runs and delivered a performance worth remembering. The high school sophomore-to-be retired all twelve batters she faced, hurling a perfect four innings of relief for the Pride. While displaying a calm demeanor beyond her years, Thomas fooled Brakette batters with an array of off-speed pitches. She faced off against and retired two of the Brakettes’ greatest home run hitters ever, setting both Denis and Call down twice.

Denis and Call are among four Brakettes, including National Hall of Famer Pat Dufficy and Germaine Fairchild, on top the team’s single-season home run charts with 15. Call’s next homer will give her the record outright.

The Pride had numerous chances against Brakette starter Call, who improved to 6-0 with the win. Call had to work out of trouble to earn the victory. She allowed four hits and one walk, while striking out seven. Call also hit two batters, but delivered big pitches when she needed to. The Pride stranded the bases loaded in the fifth, and twice left runners on first and second without scoring.

Cassidy Trauss and Amanda Magadan each had two hits for the Pride. Magadan also walked to reach base safely all three times up and stole a base.

The Brakettes now stand at 31-0 for 2011, with three twinbills planned for Alumnae Weekend. Stratford will play two against the CT Mirage, Friday night at 7:00, and the NYC Havoc on Saturday at 7:00 and Sunday at 1:00.

Brakettes Briefs: All-Time Brakette Great and National ASA Hall of Famer Joan Joyce joined Brakette broadcaster Rob Baird on brakettes.com’s video webcast during the first game of the doubleheader. Joyce and nine other National Hall of Famers are among the 90-plus former-Brakettes expected to descend on DeLuca Field this weekend for the first Brakette reunion in more than 20 years.

The Thursday night sweep inched the Brakettes closer to the 3,500th victory in their history, a milestone that could be reached if Stratford sweeps all three scheduled doubleheaders over the weekend. The team’s overall record is an amazing 3,494-380 over their storied 65 years.