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BENCIVENGA WAS A TIMELY PICKUP FOR STRATFORD BRAKETTES
 July 8, 2015 - In the case of Sarah Bencivenga, there might be something to the adage, “if you can't beat them, join them.”
Midway through her rookie season with the Stratford Brakettes, Bencivenga has become one of the team's most trusted offensive threats.
Almost a year to the day, Bencivenga was the starting third baseman for the Lyons, PA, Spirit and she had one of the most memorable series against the Brakettes in their 69-year history. While the Spirit lost all three games, they led in each game right to the very end before Manager John Stratton's club found a way to prevail. Losing by the scores of 7-2, 5-4 and 7-4, Bencivenga provided the offensive spark for the Spirit by crushing three home runs and driving in seven runs.
“She just crushed the ball against our two best pitchers,” said Stratton. “We could have lost all three games, but we fought back to win. She sure made it tough for us.”
Bencivenga will be in the lineup Thursday night as the Brakettes open a six-game home stand at 7 p.m. at Frank DeLua Hall of Fame Field against the Stratford Breakers U-23 team. Friday night the Brakettes play a split doubleheader against two of the East's top clubs, meeting the NYC Havoc at 7 and the Rampage of New Jersey at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday the Brakettes, Havoc and Rampage meet in a round-robin affair with the Brakettes playing the 5 and 7 p.m. contests. The Havoc and Rampage play at 3.
Last year the Brakettes and Spirit played 11 times with the Brakettes winning every one of them. It was somewhat of a quirk that Bencivenga even became available to join softball's most storied club team. “I got a call from Elaine (Bedell, the Spirit's player/coach) during the winter asking if we would find her a home. I told Elaine to give me her number and the rest is history,” recalled Brakettes General Manager Bob Baird.
Bencivenga, who just completed her sophomore season at Delaware, was not able to play for the Spirit this season because of an NCAA rule that prohibits your college coach from playing on the same summer team. Sarah Maulorico, a long-time Spirit player, became an assistant coach to another ex-Spirit player, Head Coach Jaime Wohlbach, at Delaware last fall.
“We wanted to make sure that Bencivenga was able to continue playing at a high level,” said Bedell. “That's why I made the call to Bob. I knew they would like a player like her.”
Despite a slow start, the Toms River, NJ, native has made a steady climb in both batting average and in the team's batting order. She is currently hitting .365 with 23 hits in 69 at bats. Tied for the home run lead with Denise Denis at four, Bencivenga is second to Denis with 18 RBI. Denis and Bencivenga are the only Brakettes to play in each game.
BRAKETTES BRIEFS- Shelton's Brittany Lampert (.450) leads the team in hitting, followed by Val Suto (.395) and Denis (.394). . . Brandice Balschmiter (7-2, .333 ERA), Laura Ricciardone (7-2, 1.35) and North Carolina freshman Sydney Matzko (4-2, 2.18) will divide the pitching this weekend. . . Riccardone was recently named the assistant softball coach at Army, while ex-Brakette Ashley Waters, Riccardone's assistant coach at Harvard, just got the Boston University head job. . . Team Canada handed the USA its only loss in the World Cup of Softball in Irvine, CA. Team Canada swept the Brakettes two weeks ago at DeLuca Field.
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