Stratford Turns Back Rico, New York Swag

June 22, 2013 - The Brakettes faced a stiff challenge in the first game of Saturday night's doubleheader, but still emerged on top. New York Swag Red starting pitcher Meghan Rico struck out 10 Brakettes, but Stratford prevailed 3-0. The Brakettes won the second game 11-0 in five innings.

Sam Greiner earned the win in the pitcher's duel with Rico, throwing a complete-game, one-hit shutout to improve to 8-0.

The two pitchers traded strikeouts over the first two frames, as they both fanned four opposing batters and traded shutout innings. Greiner picked up her fifth strikeout in the third, while Rico struck out two more, before getting in trouble.

With two outs in the home third, Kate Bowen worked a walk off Rico. Waters followed and smashed a line drive to the top of the left field foul pole. The blast was her second of the year and gave the Brakettes a 2-0 lead.

Greiner retired the side in order in both the fourth and fifth innings, while Rico worked out of a jam in the fourth. She put two on with one out, before getting another strikeout and a fly ball to center to end the inning.

The Brakettes got to Rico again in the fifth, as Waters reached on a two-out, two-base error. A hard-hit drive to left was dropped by the left fielder, putting Waters in scoring position. Denise Denis came up next and drilled a double to plate Waters, closing out the scoring at 3-0.

Greiner surrendered just a two-out single to Briana Chuisano in the top of the sixth and walked Nikki Sandelieri to put two on. Greiner induced a grounder to the hot corner to get a force out at third, getting out of the jam.

The Brakettes threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs. Rico kept her cool and got the next three outs to give the Swag a chance in the seventh.

However, Greiner put a quick end to the Swag's chances, setting down the middle of the order in 1-2-3 fashion.

The second game was full of offense for the Brakettes, but none of the same tension.

Steffi Call was also dominant for the Brakettes, cutting down eight batters at the plate in a five-inning, one-hitter. She walked one and pitched to just one batter more than the minimum.

Bowen led off the first with a triple and scored on a wild pitch, giving Call a quick run to work with. With two outs, Carden and Fortier provided back-to-back doubles to score another run for a 2-0 edge.

Bowen also began the third inning and reached on a base on balls. Waters followed with an infield single, and both runners scored on a triple by Denis for a 4-0 advantage. The Brakettes then loaded the bases, but could not muster another run until the fourth stanza.

Britt Lampert beat out a bunt single and moved up a bag on a base hit by Bowen, who was 3-for-3 in the contest. Waters delivered her second single of the game to score Bowen for a 5-0 lead.

With two on, Denis clobbered her third homer of the year over the fence in dead center. The towering blast put the Brakettes up 8-0.

Fortier joined in on the frenzy, launching her sixth long ball of the 2013 campaign with one out. The solo shot tied her with Call for the most on the team this season.

Stratford kept working at the plate, as Jess Mouse reached on a two-out single. Mouse moved to third on a double by Radomski, putting two in scoring position. Lampert offered up her second base hit of the inning to score Mouse, putting the Brakettes up 10-0. Radomski came home on an error for the eleventh tally, closing out the scoring.

Call struck out two more in the fifth and retired the side in order to secure the win. She improved to 10-0 on the season, as the Brakettes moved to 20-0.

The Brakettes return to action at 6:00 Sunday night in Stratford, as they host the Stratford Breakers 18U.

All 2013 Brakettes' home games are live video webcast at brakettes.com.