Brakettes Ride No-Hitter by Sanders, Grand Slam by Denis, to Opening Night Sweep

June 6, 2009 - The Stratford Brakettes kicked off their 2009 season Saturday night at DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford, CT, posting a pair of shutouts over the New Jersey Elite, 2-0 and 10-0. Bailey Sanders threw her second career no-hitter in the early game, while Denise Denis blasted a grand slam in the nightcap to break the game open.

Sanders struck out 14 en route to the no-hitter, and worked out of trouble with runners on base. She walked five, but stranded six baserunners, at one point retiring 11 straight batters.

Kirsten Allen was solid in her first start for the Brakettes. While allowing four hits, she did not walk a batter, and struck out four in a run-rule shortened, five-inning win. She took a hard liner off her shin in the fourth inning, but stayed in the game to earn the victory.

Jess Mouse led the way in the first game with two hits, a pair of stolen bases, and a run scored. She singled to left field in the second inning, and then swiped second base. She scored from second on a throwing error, after avoiding being hit by Mandie Fishback's grounder to shortstop. The lone run would stand until the sixth, when the Brakettes secured some insurance for Sanders.

With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Ashley Waters pushed a bunt up the first base line. She was called safe at first on a bang-bang play, beating out an infield single and earning an RBI, sending Denis home from third.

Shannon Padula started for the Elite, surrendering just one run on four hits, before being relieved by Brittany Wood in the sixth.

In the late game, the Brakettes again waited until the second inning to score, but sent 10 batters to the plate and tallied seven runs in the frame. The big blow was Denis' grand slam, which extended the lead to 7-0. Amber Radomski, Jenna Lopez, and Fishback all had RBI singles in the inning.

Radomski went 3-for-3 for the contest, scoring twice. Killian Roessner also scored two runs, and Waters added a two-run single in the third inning, in which the Brakettes tacked on three more runs.

Wood started the second game for the Elite, but was lifted for Jenna Stoller. Stoller was later relieved by Padula. Jen Hastings, Paige Cauley, Alisha Prystowsky, and Stephanie Falzarano all had base hits for New Jersey in the second game.

The Brakettes stand at 2-0 and will return to action Sunday at 12 noon, with another double-header against the New Jersey Elite at DeLuca HOF Field.

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