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Thursday - Friday - Saturday Nights
STRATFORD BRAKETTES FACE TEAM CANADA IN 6-GAME SERIES
 STRATFORD, June 24, 2015 - Home field advantage is important in any sport. For the Stratford Brakettes women's fastpitch softball team it has been almost an unfair advantage since the team has played at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. However, it will take more batting last for the Brakettes to come out on top as Team Canada comes to town for a six-game series starting Thursday night. The teams will play the first of three doubleheaders, Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m.
The Canadian Senior Women's team is ranked third in the world behind the United States and Japan. Thursday night marks the start of their 2015 competition season. Manager Mark Smith's team will leave Sunday morning for Irvine, CA, and the World Cup of Softball, a nine-team event that features both the USA and Japan, June 29-July 5. They follow it with the Canada Cup in Surrey, BC, July 7-13 and conclude with the Pan America Games in Ajax, ON, July 19-26.
“This will be a major test for our players,” said Brakettes Manager John Stratton. “We always try to make our schedule as demanding as possible. Team Canada definitely fills that bill. Last year they beat Team USA twice.”
While Team Canada opens its season, the Brakettes carry a 14-1 overall record into action. Last week the Rock Gold split a doubleheader with the Brakettes, winning 3-0 and losing 1-0. Since June 4, 2010 to the present, the Brakettes have compiled a 255-3 record at DeLuca Field. The Rock owns two of the wins while the St. Louis Saints ended a 241-game consecutive home winning streak August 5, 2014 with a 5-3 victory.
“You can't win them all. That's what I told our players after last week's loss. Sometimes losing helps you refocus. I just don't want it to become habit forming,” joked Stratton. “Team Canada is outstanding in every facet of the game. They have great pitching, power, speed, and they play super defense.”
Stratton hasn't decided on his pitching rotation, but you can expect veteran Brandice Balschmiter (141-9 in her career) to pitch one of Thursday night's games. Brandice has been the winning pitcher for the Brakettes in the home game following those last three losses at DeLuca Field. She will be joined by first-year pitchers Laura Ricciardone (6-1) and Sydney Matzko (2-0).
Outfielders Val Suto and Denise Denis, second baseman Tatum Buckley, shortstop Emily Lochten and catcher Elena Bowman have led the Brakettes at the plate. Thursday night will mark the debut of the Brakettes newest player, third baseman Jordan Whitley of Rutgers University and Clayton, DE. The left-handed hitter posted a .373 average with 13 doubles and 28 RBI for the Scarlet Knights. She has started 139 games the past three years.
Team Canada has several outstanding pitchers, led by Jenna Caira of Syracuse, who struck out over 1,000 batters during her career. Sara Groenewegen just completed her freshman year at Minnesota with a 14-3 record, 2.23 ERA and 192 strikeouts against Big-10 opponents. Outfielder Victoria Hayward played for Washington and led her team with a .414 average in 2014. Shortstop Jen Salling led Washington to the NCAA title in 2009 and she was the third pick in the National Pro Fastpitch draft in 2011. She played three years with the USSSA Pride before playing for the Pennsylvania Rebellion in 2014.
Gates to DeLuca Field will open at 5:30 p.m. All youth league players and coaches will be admitted FREE of charge. The game will be streamed on www.brakettes.com.
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