Pitching and Power on Display in Sweep of CT Mirage

July 10, 2009 - Rachele Fico and Bailey Sanders provided the Brakettes with dominant pitching performances Friday night, each striking out 12 batters, en route to 8-0 and 12-0 victories over the Connecticut Mirage. Ashley Waters and Denise Denis clobbered back-to-back homers in the early game.

Fico threw a five-inning perfect game in the late contest, striking out the first nine batters she faced. She moved her record to 4-0 on the season. Sanders allowed just two singles in the first game, improving to 10-1.

The only hits for the Mirage on the night were consecutive singles by Jess Rickel and Caitlin Eaton in the second inning of the first game. Sanders struck out the next three batters to retire the side.

Mirage starter Amanda Farnan kept the Brakettes’ bats at bay until the third inning, when they put three runs on the board. Carly Normandin doubled off the right field fence, and moved to third on a single by Ashley Waters.

Waters went to second on the play, moving up on the throw to the cutoff. With runners at second and third, Denise Denis doubled to bring in both runners. With a 2-0 lead, Denis tagged and advanced to third on a fly to right by Jess Serio. The throw to third was off the mark, and Denis went home on the error, putting Stratford up 3-0.

Jenna Lopez provided a one-out double in the fourth, and watched as Lindsey Kay Bright earned a walk. Waters smashed a three-run homer to left, her seventh long ball of the season, to bring the lead to 6-0. Denis came up after Waters and cracked her ninth homer of the year to right, giving Stratford a 7-0 lead.

Jess Mouse walked to lead off the home fifth, and moved to second on an error. Amber Radomski delivered a single to score Mouse, giving the Brakettes a run-rule shortened, 8-0 victory in five innings.

Normandin got the Brakettes on the board quickly in the nightcap, leading off the first with a walk. She took second on a steal, and moved to third as the throw to second sailed into center. She then scored on an error which allowed Mouse to reach first safely.

Amber Radomski walked with two outs in the second frame, and advanced to second on a single by Jill Cimminello. Bright singled to score Radomski for a 2-0 lead. After a walk by Normandin, Waters again gave Stratford a big boost. She knocked a three-run double with the bases loaded, opening up a 5-0 margin.

The Brakettes scored five more runs in the third inning, sending 11 batters to the plate. Mouse led off with a triple to right, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Radomski.

Cimminello and Bright added singles, with the latter sending Radomski home with the Brakettes’ seventh run. Cimminello and Bright both ended up scoring, as did Normandin, who reached on an error.

Radomski and Bright singled and scored in the fourth on base hits by Normandin and Waters. Denis drove in Normandin and Waters with a triple, pushing the lead to 14-0.

Fico worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning to give Stratford its second straight run-rule shortened decision. The Brakettes improved to 23-4 for the 2009 campaign, with the Mirage dropping to 8-9.

The Brakettes will be in action again Saturday night at DeLuca Field, at 7:00 against the Lyons Spirit, from Lyons, PA. Catch all the action right here at brakettes.com.