BRAKETTES (27-4) FACE EIGHT-GAME SCHEDULE IN NEXT FOUR DAYS

July 16, 2009 - Three weeks from today (Thursday) the Stratford Brakettes will begin play in the inaugural Women's Major Softball National Championship tournament at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. Before the 12-team event starts, the Brakettes still have 27 regular-season games on tap.

Manager John Stratton’s Brakettes (27-4) face another busy weekend slate, starting with tonight’s 7 o’clock doubleheader against the Polar Crush of Worcester, MA. Coached by former Brakettes pitcher Robyn King, the Crush has qualified for the ASA 18-and-Under Gold Nationals in Oklahoma City next month. Regarded as New England’s top 18-U club, the Crush record is 14-7 and led by Alex Rodriguez of Virginia, Boston College’s Nikki D’Argento, and Kat Murray of Bryant.

Friday night is Breast Cancer Awareness Night as the Brakettes help raise money to benefit the Connecticut affiliate of the “Susan G. Komen for the Cure” fight against breast cancer. In addition, there will be a home run derby between games of the 7 p.m. doubleheader with B.A.T.S. Hudson Valley Express Gold that enters with a 47-17 record having played in Florida, Colorado and California tournaments thus far. Brealand Edwards’ club is led by pitcher Jena Servidone, hard-hitting third baseman Cat Clifford, and centerfielder Jaclyn Gallagher.

The Brakettes face last year’s ASA tournament runner-up, the Western New York Xtreme (17-2) Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 12 noon in a pair of doubleheaders. The Xtreme defeated the Brakettes 2-1 in an eight-inning tie-breaker in opening round play last year in Buffalo before the tourney was called because of rain. Pitcher Brittany Stratton stopped the Brakettes on three hits in that contest, inducing 16 fly ball outs with an assortment of off-speed pitches. Niki Sabuda was a first-team All-America for her Buffalo State Bisons who advanced to the regional finals before losing to Cortland State. Michele Fridey of Canisius and Sammy Vera of St. John Fisher are other NCAA tested Xtreme players.

Pitching one of the games for the Brakettes will be former Crush standout Bailey Sanders (11-1, 0.99 ERA) who has 100 strikeouts in 71 innings. Either Kasey Barrett of Florida International University, a 5-foot-11 right-hander, or Jen Russell (7-1, 0.86) will pitch the other game. Barrett’s arrival was delayed because of her recent tonsillectomy. The Crush last defeated the Brakettes in 2006 when Sanders was the winning pitcher in a 1-0 game.

Denise Denis has regained the batting lead at .420 and she has a team-high 37 RBI. Denis and Ashley Waters (.380) share the home run lead at nine. Waters also has 30 RBI. Jessica Mouse of LSU has been hitting at a torrid pace of late and owns a .402 mark with 29 RBI and five home runs.

Tickets for the Women’s Major Softball National Championship will be on sale throughout the weekend. Tournament passes are $35 for box seats, $30 for reserved behind home plate, and $25 for first and third base bleachers. There are seven sessions on tap in the August 6-9 event.