Brakette Bats Make Noise in Wins over Thunder

August 1, 2011 - Less than 24 hours after the Brakettes fought hard for a pair of wins against the Rhode Island Thunder, Stratford exploded for 27 runs on 26 hits against the same Thunder pitching staff, closing out the four-game series with 16-0 and 11-0 victories on Sunday at DeLuca Field.

Rachele Fico took the mound in the early game having thrown two straight perfect games, striking out 33 in a combined 14 innings. She retired the side in order in the first on Sunday, but allowed a leadoff single to Nicole Lundstrom in the top of the second, ending her streak of perfection. She struck out eight and walked none in five innings, while scattering two hits to improve to 25-0.

Stratford got on the board early, scoring two runs in the first inning. Carly Normandin reached on a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Ashley Waters. Denis Denis followed with her ninth homer of the season for a 2-0 lead.

The Brakettes again relied on the long ball in the second, as Kristyn Sandberg led off with her sixth home run of the season. The drive to left field marked the second straight game in which Sandberg homered and gave Stratford a 3-0 advantage.

The Thunder would find no relief from the offensive barrage displayed by the Brakettes, as Stephanie Call joined the home run party in the third.

After Waters singled and Denis walked to open the third inning, Call crushed her team-record 24th home run of the season to put Stratford up 6-0.

Mandie Fishback reached after Call’s blast on a single and moved up a bag on a walk by Becca Carden. With two outs, Melissa Mancuso doubled to the fence in left, scoring Fishback for a 7-0 cushion. Alisa Heronema came up next and delivered a single to score Carden and Mancuso to push the lead to 9-0.

Normandin pushed Heronema to second with a base hit of her own, and Waters capped the big inning with a double to plate Heronema for a 10-0 edge.

Sarah Calgreen took over for Call at first base in the fourth inning and led off the bottom of the frame with a single to right. Fishback also singled to put two on with no one out. Sandberg continued her productive streak with a double to bring Calgreen home for an 11-0 lead. Fishback moved to third on the play.

After Stacey Lajoie reached on a walk, Mancuso drove in two more runs with a bases-loaded single to stretch the margin to 13-0. Heronema then grounded into a fielder’s choice, which saw Mancuso get forced out at second.

With two outs and two on base, Normandin closed out the scoring with a three-run homer, her 17th of the year. The shot gave Stratford a 16-0 lead and assured that Fico would have to get three outs to finish the game in five innings.

Fico struck out the first two batters before Lindsay Mayer launched a double that bounced to the fence in center. Fico retired the next batter to secure the win.

Megan Rico and Brandice Balschmiter matched up again in the second game, just a day after the Thunder hurler limited the Brakettes to two hits in a complete-game loss.

Balschmiter would again get the best of the Thunder, striking out 12 batters en route to her 19th victory of 2011. She scattered four hits and walked just one.

The Brakettes managed a first-inning run off Rico, as Normandin again led off with a walk. Waters immediately followed with a double to send Normandin home for a 1-0 edge.

Rico again showed her mettle for the Thunder, striking out four Brakettes in a four-inning stint. After the early score, she held the Brakettes at bay until the third.

Kate Bowen led off the home third with a line drive to the right-center fence. The ball was hit so well that Bowen was limited to a single, as the relay benefited from a perfect bounce off the fence. Bowen then advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Normandin sent Bowen home with a base hit, ending up on second as the throw went home. Normandin scored on a single by Denis, putting Stratford up 3-0.

Sandberg led off the fourth and reached on an error, then headed to second on a sac bunt by Carden. Amber Radomski then clobbered her second homer of the year to left, giving the Brakettes a 5-0 lead.

Denis led off the fifth with a base hit, her second of the game. Fishback reached on a one-out walk, bringing the hot-hitting Sandberg back to the plate. Sandberg responded with a three-run blast for an 8-0 advantage, her seventh dinger of the year. She has now hit a home run in each of her last three games.

Stratford picked up three more runs in the sixth, thanks to a trio of walks to load the bases. Heronema, Lajoie and Denis earned the free passes, bringing Calgreen up to bat.

Calgreen reached on an error, which allowed Heronema to score. Fishback followed with an RBI single to plate Normandin, and Denis scored the final run on a sac fly by Sandberg. With an 11-0 lead, Balschmiter needed just three outs to close out the game.

Balschmiter struck out the side in the seventh inning, just as she had in the sixth, giving the Brakettes their 111th straight victory. Stratford is now 55-0 on the season.

Emily Felbaum led the Thunder with a 2-for-3 performance, including a first-inning double. Lindsay Mayer got the other two base hits for Rhode Island. Olivia Godin earned the team’s only walk.

The Brakettes return to action Tuesday night at 7:00 against the 2010 WMS runners-up, the St. Louis Saints. The Saints captured the NSA National Title on Sunday in Peoria, IL, with a win over the Indiana Slammers. St. Louis went 6-0 in the tournament, which also featured the Bloomington (IL) Lady Hearts, Peoria (IL) Rage and Michigan Lady Explorers.

The doubleheader will serve as the last regular season games for both clubs, as they prepare for the 3rd Annual Women’s Major Softball National Championships, which begin Thursday, August 4th, at DeLuca Field. Both of Tuesday’s games and all WMS Tournament games from DeLuca Field will be video webcast at brakettes.com.