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Tuesday Night
Brakettes Erase Five-Run Deficit in Extra-Inning Win over Saints
 August 5, 2015 - The Stratford Brakettes crawled out of a five-run hole on Tuesday night at DeLuca Field, rallying past the St. Louis Saints for a 7-6 victory in eight innings in the first game of a twinbill. The hometown favorites appeared down for the count, trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, and facing a determined and formidable St. Louis squad.
The Brakettes answered the challenge, posting five runs to tie it up in the sixth, en route to a historic comeback. The last time the Brakettes came from five runs behind to win was in the 1991 ASA Nationals in Redding, California, defeating the host Redding Rebels after trailing 5-0.
Stratford also took the second game of the doubleheader, 5-0, as Brandice Balschmiter was in control throughout. Balschmiter struck out seven and gave up just three hits to help the Brakettes secure the sweep.
Taylor Lockwood threw 4 and 1/3 no-hit innings in the early game before surrendering a bunt single to Val Suto. Lockwood was relieved in the sixth by Wendy Macias and settled for a no decision after thoroughly frustrating the Brakette lineup until the sixth inning.
The Brakettes scored the game’s first run on an error in the home fifth, after Britt Lampert reached on a leadoff walk. She reached second on a groundout and raced home to break the scoreless tie when Sarah Bencivenga’s high fly to center was dropped.
The Saints quickly erased Stratford’s 1-0 lead, as they plated three runs in the top of the fifth.
Kate Sullens singled with one out off of Brakettes starter Laura Ricciardone, and was sacrificed to second by Courtney Lockwood. Alexa Holland grounded to the left side and reached on a fielder’s choice, putting runners at the corners with one out. Kelly Kapp came up and reached on an error, which scored both runners for a 2-1 St. Louis edge. Rylee Holland followed with an RBI single, sending Kapp home to stretch the margin to 3-1.
While Suto broke up the no-no and Mary Sciglimpaglia reached on a walk, the Brakettes were held scoreless in the fifth. The Saints took advantage and built on the lead in the top of the sixth.
Macias led off the sixth inning with a solo homer, extending the lead to 4-1. Brooke Rieman-Schneider followed with a double and moved up to third on a groundout. With one out, Ed Martz’s Saints pulled off another baserunning coup, orchestrating a successful suicide squeeze play to score Rieman-Schneider for a 5-1 score. Alexa Holland would later single and eventually score from second on a base hit by Rylee Holland, giving St. Louis a seemingly safe 6-1 lead.
Elena Bowman led off the sixth and started the Brakettes’ improbable rally with an infield single deep in the hole. Bencivenga doubled to left-center to push Bowman to third, giving the Brakettes new hope. With one out, Radomski singled to score Bowman, pulling Stratford to within 6-2. Bencivenga went to third on the play, and then scored along with Radomski on a double by Sciglimpaglia. The two-run double made it 6-4, but the Brakettes were not finished.
 Taylor Moss followed and picked up her biggest hit as a Brakette, a towering two-run shot to right field, to tie it up at 6-6. It was the first of the season for Moss, a sophomore-to-be at College of the Holy Cross.
Macias stopped the damage there and retired the side, but only after the Brakettes had given the game new life.
Ricciardone held off the Saints in the top of the seventh, while Macias kept the Brakette scoreless in their half of the inning, setting the stage for extras.
Courtney Lockwood led off the eighth for St. Louis with a liner to right and was thrown out at first by Denise Denis on a contested call. Alexa Holland followed and doubled to left, but Balschmiter induced two comeback grounders to get the next two batters.
Katie Petroski worked a walk to start the home eighth and was sacrificed over by Sciglimpaglia. Moss then came through with yet another clutch hit, pulling one just inside the bag and into right to send Petroski across with the winning run.
Ricciardone went the distance in the 7-6 win, improving to 13-2 on the season.
Balschmiter moved to 15-2 for the year with the late game shutout, as she barely gave the Saints any hope during the three-hitter.
Alyson Spinas started for St. Louis and matched Balschmiter in the early going, keeping the Brakettes of the scoreboard until the third inning.
Moss reached on an error with one out in the home third and moved up on a walk by Suto. Lampert reached on a bunt single to load the bases, and Bowman singled to left with two outs to break the scoreless stalemate, plating two runs for a 2-0 edge.
Radomski reached on a base hit to right in the fourth and moved into scoring position on an error. Suto came through with a two-out single to bring in Radomski for a 3-0 lead.
Denis led off the fifth with a double to the gap in left-center, and scored on a single to left by Bowman, who moved to second on the throw home. After cruising into third on an error, Bowman scored on a base hit by Petroski, closing out the scoring at 5-0.
Lampert and Bowman each had a pair of hits for the Brakettes, while Jolie Doffner had two hits for St. Louis.
The Stratford Brakettes and St. Louis Saints are among the top contenders in the 7th Annual Women’s Major Softball National Championship, which starts Thursday in Stratford. Pool play begins at 1:00 at DeLuca Field, while games will also be played at Short Beach.
Go to http://brakettes.com/wms_tournament_2015/welcome.htm for more information on the tournament, which will also feature the Lyons Spirit (Pennsylvania) and the 2009 WMS champion New York City Havoc.
All 2015 WMS Tournament games at DeLuca Field will be live video webcast at brakettes.com.
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Tuesday night, August 4th
vs. St. Louis Saints |
| First Game, 6:30 PM |
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Second Game |
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Batteries: Saints- Taylor Lockwood, Wendy Macias (6, L) and Brooke Riemenschneider; Brakettes- Laura Ricciardone (W, 13-2) and Mary Sciglimpaglia
Homerun: Saints- Wendy Macias; Brakettes- Taylor Moss (1) |
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Batteries: Saints- Alyssa Spinas (L), Wendy Macias (5) and Brooke Riemenschneider; Brakettes- Brandice Balschmiter (W, 15-2) and Elena Bowman
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