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JUNIOR BRAKETTES MAKE THEIR DEBUT SATURDAY NIGHT AGAINST DEFENDING CHAMPION STRATFORD BRAKETTES
May 31 - What was merely a thought early last August will become reality Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field when the 18U Junior Brakettes make their debut against the defending national champion Stratford Brakettes in a doubleheader. The teams meet again Sunday at 10 a.m. in another twin-bill before the Junior Brakettes meet Team Ireland in a 4 p.m. single game.
“Mary Sciglimpaglia (former Brakettes catcher) and her father Rob presented the idea to me after last year's nationals,” said Bob Baird, now in his 32nd year as the general manager of Brakettes Softball. "I talked it over with John Stratton (Stratford Brakettes manager) and we called a meeting of our Board of Directors. It was unanimously approved.” Mary will manage the team and Rob and Mike Britt will be the coaches.
It will be the first time in 45 years that the Brakettes, who were formed in 1947, will have a feeder system. “I think it's great,” said Stratton. “They have some kids that could play for us now, but we have all our starters back except 15-year pitcher Brandice Balschmiter who retired.”
Gates to DeLuca Field will open at 5:30 p.m. The Coastal Chordsmen will sing the National Anthem after the presentation of the 2018 batting award to Ansonia's Lauren Pitney (.489). Tickets are $8 for box seats, $6 for reserved with backrests behind home plate, and $5 for general admission, the first and third base bleachers. Season passes also will be on sale. Box seats are $100, reserved $80, and general admission $60 and they are good for over 70 home games of both Brakettes teams.
Stratton's pitching staff is loaded, led by recent UMass Lowell graduate Kaysee Talcik (15-0, 0.78) of Shelton and Bucknell's Raeanne Geffert (8-1, 0.73) of Seymour, last year's Women's National Championship MVP and Outstanding Pitcher recipient. Boston University's Ali DuBois, the 2018 Rookie and Freshmen of the Year in the Patriot Conference, returns after an injury limited her to 4 decisions (3-1, 1.67 ERA) last year. She compiled a 23-11 record for the Terriers this spring. Cheshire's Abby Abramson (2-0) of Cheshire missed most of the 2018 season with a broken finger, while Ansonia's Nicole William (6-0) of Manhattan and BU freshman Julia Hanfield complete the staff.
The Junior Brakettes will have New Canaan's Gillian Kane, who went 9-5 at Springfield College, North Branford's Sydney Senerchia of St. Peter's College, who went 23-1 in high school last year, Notre Dame's Tiffany Diao of Bridgeport and Delaware State and Princeton frosh Ali Blanchard, the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year at Lincoln High School are also available this weekend. The status of Seymour's Jenna Geffert (38-3 in her career) and Claire McCann (25-11) of Joel Barlow depend upon how their teams fare in the CIAC tournament.
Other area high school players still active in states are Masuk outfielder Gretchen Bunovsky, Pomperaug catcher Kaitlyn Flood, Lauralton outfielder Maggie Britt, and Barlow shortstop Abby Ota, who led Connecticut in hitting during the regular season at .743. Mary Sciglimpaglia also will have Shelton's Emma Larke of Maine, Seymour's Rebecca Findley of Maine, 2018 Connecticut Gatorade Player Rebecca Johnson of Colgate and Seymour High, Torrington All-State catcher Alexa Milius of Central Connecticut, Trinity's Maura Keary of Trinity, Fordham's GiGi Speer of Bridgeport and Fordham, shortstop Katie Sciglimpaglia of New Canaan and St. Peter's, and Hamden infielder Kiana Robinson this weekend.
Catcher Alex Heinen, home run (11) and RBI (65) champ, third baseman Jolie Duffner (.452, 42 RBI), right fielder Denise Denis (.395, 47 RBI), the all-time home run leader with 128, and Val Suto (.459), the batting runner-up are back to lead the club.
All Brakettes games will be video webcast on the Brakettes network. |
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