Dominant Fico Perfect Against Shoreline Sting

July 29, 2011 - Rachele Fico threw the Brakettes' first seven-inning perfect game of 2011 on Thursday night at DeLuca Field in Stratford, striking out 19 batters in her most dominant performance of the year, a 9-0 win. Mixed in with Fico's K's were two putouts on bunts, with every other out via the strikeout. Stratford won the second game 12-0 in five innings.

Fico struck out the first 13 batters she faced until Dani Bourne placed a bunt in front of the plate with one out in the fifth. Alisa Heronema sprung on the ball and threw Bourne out at first. Michelle Dander was the only other player to put the ball in play against Fico, ironically bunting right back to Rachele to start the sixth. Fico calmly fielded and threw to first for the out. Fico improved to 23-0 on the season with the victory.

The Brakettes were held scoreless in the first two frames by Sting starter, Jenn Cruver, who worked out of trouble in the second. Stratford got on the board in the third when they plated four runs.

Becca Carden inherited the leadoff spot from Carly Normandin for the night, as the Brakettes everyday centerfielder missed the games. Carden showed off for her parents, Carol and Pat, who made the trip out from Oklahoma.

Carden led off the third with a single and stole second. She came home with Stratford’s first run on a double by Ashley Waters. Denise Denis followed and provided a single, sending Waters to third.

Stephanie Call then doubled to bring in both Waters and Denis for a 3-0 lead. After Mandie Fishback reached on a base hit, Stacey Lajoie beat out an infield single to load the bases. Kate Bowen grounded out to the right side, but drove in Call on the play to close out the inning up 4-0.

After a scoreless fourth, the Brakettes put up five runs in the fifth inning.

Fishback reached on a one-out single and went ot second on a base hit by Lajoie. Kate Bowen doubled to right, scoring Fishback and sending Lajoie to third. With a 5-0 lead and two outs, Heronema doubled to score two Lajoie and Bowen to push the margin to 7-0.

Carden continued her hot streak with a two-run shot, her seventh homer of the season. The long ball put Stratford up 9-0, leaving Fico’s potential perfect game as the only suspense in store for the fans in attendance. Fico would not let the home crowd down, continuing her dominance throughout the last two innings.

Michelle Dander was the only other player to put the ball in play against Fico, ironically bunting right back to the mound to start the seventh. Fico calmly fielded the bunt and threw to first for the out. She struck out the next two batters to complete the gem. Fico improved to 23-0 on the season with the victory.

The Brakettes’ bats were not to be silenced in the second game. After being held scoreless in four of the six innings in game one, Stratford scored in every frame of the nightcap.

Stephanie Call pitched the nightcap for the Brakettes, fanning 12 batters in five innings. The only hit she allowed was a bunt single to Kate Sartory in the third inning.

Carden again started a rally for the Brakettes in the home first, reaching on a base hit and stealing second. Waters earned a base on balls to put two on, bringing up Denis. The right-fielder came through to put the Brakettes ahead with a run-scoring single. Waters moved to third on the play, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Call then earned a walk to load the bases for Fishback.

Fishback lofted a high fly to centerfield, which dropped just in front of the fence. Only one run came home as the runners waited to see if it would fall in. Amber Radomski followed and contributed a sac fly to score Denis. With one out, Sarah Calgreen drove in a run with a sac fly for a 4-0 advantage.

Carden led off the second with a double and scored on a triple by Denis, putting Stratford up 5-0. Radomski sent Denis home with a single for her second RBI and a 6-0 margin.

Heronema scored in the third after reaching on a single and stealing second. After Waters walked, Denis reached on an infield single, sending Waters to third. Heronema scored on the play for a 7-0 edge. Call also delivered a single to score Waters. Denis scored on the play on a throwing error by the shortstop, putting Stratford up 9-0.

Lajoie reached on an error in the fourth, ending up on third base on the play. Calgreen drove her in with a groundout to the left side for an 11-0 advantage. Heronema followed with a triple and was driven in on a double by Carden, closing the scoring out at 12-0.

Call struck out the side in the fifth to preserve the win, improving to 9-0 on the season. The Brakettes moved to 51-0 for 2011, and stretched their win streak to 107 games.

The Brakettes return to action Friday night at 7:00 with a home doubleheader against the CT Mirage Gold. They will face the Rhode Island Thunder on Saturday night at 7:00 and Sunday afternoon at 1:00.

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