Brakettes Sprint by Lyons Spirit

July 24, 2011 - The Stratford Brakettes took two from the Lyons (PA) Spirit Saturday night at DeLuca Field, anchored by a six-inning perfect game by Rachele Fico and three home runs from a balanced offensive attack. Stratford won the first game 8-0 in six innings and the captured the nightcap 8-0 in five frames.

Fico struck out 12 and breezed throught the Spirit lineup. She improved to 21-0 on the season.

Carly Normandin continued an impressive weekend, launching her 15th home run to lead off the first. It was the fourth homer in three games for the Brakette centerfielder and gave the Brakettes a 1-0 lead.

Kristyn Sandberg led off the second with a single and went to second base on a wild pitch. Becca Carden followed with a single, and Sandberg scored when the ball was misplayed in left field. Carden went to second on the play and scored on a double by Melissa Mancuso, stretching the margin to 3-0. Alisa Heronema reached on a perfectly placed bunt, sending Mancuso to third in the process.

Mancuso was tagged out at home trying to score on a groundball to first, but ended up being the second out of a double play instead. The Brakettes' rally, however, was not done yet.

Heronema stole second base and advanced to third when Mancuso tried going home, then scored when Ashley Waters reached on an error. Denise Denis pitched in with a double to the centerfield fence to score Waters for a 5-0 lead.

Stephanie Call capped off the rally by clobbering a pitch far over the left field fence for her 22nd homer of the year, giving the Brakettes a 7-0 advantage.

The Brakettes' bats were then silenced until the sixth inning, when Waters led off with a double. She tagged up and went to third on a drive to right by Denis and scored on a single by Mandie Fishback, ending the game via the run-rule.

Brandice Balschmiter struck out nine Spirit batters in the five-inning, late game victory. She moved to 16-0 with the win, as she allowed just a bunt single to Megan Greiss and a pair of walks.

The Brakettes were held scoreless in the first and second, but broke through for two runs in the third inning. Kate Bowen led off with a single and went to second on a base hit by Normandin. Waters also picked up a single, driving in Bowen for a 1-0 edge. Waters would later come home on a single by Call for a 2-0 lead.

Carden got things going again in the fourth with a double, moving to third as Amber Radomski reached on an error. Bowen contributed her second hit of the game to score Carden, putting the Brakettes up 3-0. Bowen went to second on the throw and scored Stratford's fourth run on a double by Normandin. Waters followed with a single, sending Normandin to third.

A wild pitch allowed Normandin to race home and sent Waters to third. Call drove in Waters with a double, ending the fourth with a 6-0 lead.

Sandberg pulled a shot down the left field line to start the fifth, giving Stratford a 7-0 lead. Carden singled and stole second base, then came home on a single by Radomski to close out the 8-0 victory.

Stratford improved to 47-0 with the Saturday sweep and will play the Lyons Spirit again Sunday in a 12 noon doubleheder at DeLuca.

Both games will be webcast at brakettes.com