Fico Perfect Again in Sweep of R.I. Thunder

July 30, 2011 - Rachele Fico threw her second straight perfect game Saturday night, striking out 14 batters in a 6-0 win over the Rhode Island Thunder in the late game of a doubleheader. Brandice Balschmiter threw a two-hitter in the early contest, fanning eight Thunder batters.

While the first game was an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel, the nightcap served to further Fico’s standing in the record books. The feat marked the first time a Brakette pitcher has thrown back-to-back perfect games since 2008, when Leslie Malerich reached perfection three times in a row.

Megan Rico threw the first game for the Thunder and gave up just two hits in seven innings. She struck out two Brakettes, while allowing six walks. Unfortunately for the Thunder, both Brakette hits drove in runs in the 2-0 victory.

The Brakettes scored one in the first, after Carly Normandin led off with a walk. Ashley Waters sacrificed her to second, putting Normandin in scoring position. After Stephanie Call earned a base on balls, Mandie Fishback singled up the middle to score Normandin for a 1-0 lead.

Rico kept the Brakettes’ bats at bay until the fourth, when they got Balschmiter another insurance run.

Kristyn Sandberg walked in the fourth inning and moved to second on a fielder’s choice grounder by Amber Radomski. Kate Bowen then pulled a single over the head of the first baseman, plating Sandberg for a 2-0 cushion.

The Brakettes came alive in game two, jumping to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Normandin again walked to start the home first, and advanced on a bunt single by Waters. An error on the play allowed Normandin to score and sent Waters to third. Waters would eventually come home to score the Brakettes’ second run.

Becca Carden reached on an error to start the second inning and was sacrificed over by Alisa Heronema. Normandin delivered a double to score Carden for a 3-0 advantage.

With two outs in the third, Kristyn Sandberg blasted her fifth homer of the year to dead center. The line drive shot gave Stratford a 4-0 lead.

Denise Denis reached on an error in the sixth inning and moved up a base on a single by Fishback. After Sandberg walked, Carden contributed a two-run single to put the Brakettes up 6-0.

Fico struck out the side in the seventh to preserve the victory, moving the Brakettes to 53-0 on the year. The team has now won a record 109 games in a row.

The Brakettes return to action Sunday afternoon at 1:00 with another doubleheader against the R.I. Thunder. Both games will be video webcast on brakettes.com.