BRAKETTES ENTER 2014 HOME STRETCH

July 22, 2014 - It's back to regular-season play for the Stratford Brakettes who take on the CT Seahawks 23U Thursday night in a 7 p.m. doubleheader at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. Following Thursday night's action the Brakettes open title defense of their USSSA Invitational Friday through Sunday at DeLuca Field, Birdseye Field, and Short Beach Rec complex.

A total of 10 teams are entered in the event with pool play Friday and Saturday. The Brakettes play a pool doubleheader Friday, hosting the CT Eliminators at 7 p.m. and the Stratford Breakers at 8:30 p.m. The Eliminators and Breakers play a pool game at 5:30 p.m.

Twelve games are on tap Saturday, eight at DeLuca and four at Birdseye. The Brakettes are scheduled only once, meeting the New Jersey Rampage at 7:30 p.m. at DeLuca to cap the action. Sunday is elimination play with the four games at Short Beach and five at DeLuca, starting at 10 a.m.

Manager John Stratton's Brakettes carry a 35-0 regular-season record and 121 straight wins into the twin-bill tonight. They have won 232 consecutive home games at DeLuca Field. Allyson Fournier (18-0, 0.80 ERA) and Tatum Buckley (7-0, 0.35) will pitch tonight. Last Thursday they both hurled five-inning perfect games in a sweep of the CT Falcons.

The Brakettes will welcome back Stephanie Call for this weekend, ending her semi-retirement after three star-studded years for the Brakettes. During that time she belted 74 home runs, third all-time in team history, drove in 254 runs which ranks 12th, and is 23rd all-time in hits with 206. Steffi won the team batting title last year with a .533 average and drove in a team-leading 89 runs. She finished with 22 home runs, missing the Triple Crown by one home run.

Denise Denis, the 10-year outfielder, is within striking distance of the all-time home runs mark. She has 88 entering the week's play and trails leader Pat Dufficy by three. Quianna Diaz-Patterson (.513) remains the batting leader.

Tickets for the 6th annual Women's Major Softball National Championship tournament, August 7-10 at DeLuca Field, will be on sale throughout the weekend. There will be seven sessions with tournament passes going for $35, box seats, $30, reserved and $25 for bleacher seats. Season ticket holders will receive a $5 discount on all tournament passes.