Allen's One-Hitter Highlights Successful Road Trip

June 15, 2009 - The Stratford Brakettes completed a sweep of their annual June road trip to Pennsylvania, defeating the Lyons Spirit twice Sunday afternoon, by 7-1 and 3-1 margins. Kirsten Allen posted a one-hitter in the early game, striking out six and retiring the last ten batters she faced. Allen improved to 3-0 with the victory.

Carly Normandin started the offense on the day by lining a base hit and stealing second. Denise Denis brought Carly home with a single of her own, giving the Brakettes a 1-0 in the top of the first.

Bailey Sanders, who handled the pitching duties in the late game, helped out with her bat in the first matchup. With two outs in the second inning, Sanders singled and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Stacy Lajoie ripped a double to score Sanders, putting Stratford up 2-0.

The Brakettes gave Allen a big lead to operate with in the top of the third, putting up five more runs. Denis was hit by a pitch with one out, and stole second base to put herself in scoring position. Jess Mouse doubled to score Denis, and then came home on a single by Ashley Waters, who took second on the throw from the outfield.

Whitney Williams also was hit by a pitch, giving Jess Serio runners at the corners with one out. Serio lined a single to score Waters, and took an extra base as Williams got caught in a rundown between second and third. The lead stood at 5-0, but the Brakettes were not yet finished.

Sanders walked to put two on with two outs, prompting the Spirit to replace starter Missy Szabo with Amanda Whitford. Stacy Lajoie followed with a single for her second RBI of the game, scoring Serio from second, and sending Sanders to third. Sanders eventually came home on a bases-loaded walk by Jenna Lopez, giving Allen a 7-0 cushion.

The Spirit scored their lone run in the home third, as Val Vallach and Shannon Lebel earned walks off Allen. Elaine Bedell bunted back to Allen, who turned and fired wide of first base and into right field. The official scoring on the play was an infield hit and an error on the throw, making the bunt the only hit Allen would allow. Vallach scored on the play, which left the Spirit with runners at the corners with one out. Allen retired the next two batters to get out of the jam.

The Brakettes' defensive play of the day came in the fourth, after Jennine Mara reached on an error. Nifer Shaw-Metz looped a ball into shallow right field, and Mara waited to see if it would drop in. Denis fielded the ball off a short hop and fired to second, forcing Mara out, and erasing a would-be hit from the ledger.

Whitford pitched well in relief of Szabo, sitting down 13 of the last 14 Brakettes she faced, and holding Stratford scoreless over the last four innings. Karen Bauer dazzled on defense for the Spirit, making a fully outstretched diving stop of a hard liner to short, and handling everything hit her way.

Sanders struck out eight in the second game, as she won her fourth decision of the season.

Normandin again reached base to lead off the game, and was sacrificed over on a bunt by Waters. Denis pushed her home with a single, putting the Brakettes up 1-0 in the first.

The Spirit answered in the second inning, as pitcher Heather Gordon helped her own cause with a leadoff triple. Lindsay Hall grounded out to Amber Radomski at first, sending Gordon home with the equalizer.

Denis put the Brakettes up yet again in the third, as she led off with a triple, and scored on a single by Jess Serio.

Stratford gave Sanders some insurance in the seventh, when Normandin scored her second run of the game. She walked to start the inning off, and scored on a well executed squeeze by Serio.

Sanders retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh. The Brakettes now stand at 7-0 after two weeks of play.

The Brakettes return to action Thursday night at DeLuca Field in Stratford, CT, with a 7:00 doubleheader against the Connecticut Panthers. Both games will be broadcast right here at brakettes.com.