GERMAINE FAIRCHILD CAPTURES TRIPLE CROWN

January 15, 2006 - Germaine Fairchild had a softball season that many people dream about. Fairchild led the Stratford Brakettes in almost every offensive category as she captured the team’s triple crown for home runs, runs batted in and batting average. Finishing her fifth season with the Brakettes, Fairchild enjoyed her finest season ever as she led the team with a .389 batting average, a record-tying 15 home runs and 81 RBI.

Only eight times in the Brakettes’ illustrious 59-year history has a player captured the triple crown. It was the second time Fairchild had accomplished it since 2001. Fairchild has won three batting titles (2003 was the other) in five seasons with the Brakettes.

While leading the team with 68 base hits in 175 at bats, Fairchild also had 13 doubles, two triples and 36 bases on balls. Her .389 average was her highest in her five years with the team. Fairchild, the softball coach at Quinnipiac University, already is third on the all-time home run list with 34 and fifth in RBI with 279. Her 15 home runs this year tied Pat Dufficy’s single-season mark set in 1990. Her 81 RBI is the second best single-season mark in team history.

Erica Sobel’s .352 batting average was second among regulars, while Denise Denis was third at .329. Also hitting over .300 were rookie Kim Ovittore (.309), Julie Brooks (.306), Jill Cimminello (.305), Lovena Chaput (.303) and Killian Roessner (.301).

Denis was runner-up with 37 RBI and she led with 15 doubles and four triples, while she was second in home runs with six. Chaput led the team with 46 runs scored, while Fairchild had 44 and Linda Secka 40.
In 2001, Fairchild hit .361 with five home runs and 54 RBI.

Stephanie Best, who played for the New England Riptide this year, won the triple crown in 2004 when she hit .367 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI.

Other former triple crown winners were: 1993, Pat Dufficy (.395-5 HR-75 RBI); 1989, Sheila Cornell (.440-11-79); 1984, Diane Schumacher (.356-7-34); 1977, Schumacher (.376-5-34); and 1968, Joan Joyce (.343-3-48).

Sarah Pauly (24-8) and Leslie Malerich (15-3) fashioned the most victories on the ballclub with Malerich winning three games against National Pro Fastpitch league teams. Pauly had two wins against NPF teams. Pauly led the Brakettes with 315 strikeouts in 216 innings, while Malerich’s 0.57 ERA led the team.

The Brakettes finished the year with a 51-17 overall record, finishing runner-up in the ASA Women’s National Championship tournament. Next year the Brakettes will compete in the National Pro Fastpitch league. The team also will continue to sponsor an amateur team with Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field remaining the home base.

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