Pitching Powers Brakettes to Sweep of Xpress Gold

July 17, 2009 - The Brakettes used a pair of stellar pitching performances to push past the Hudson Valley Xpress Gold, 8-0 and 6-0, on Friday night at DeLuca Field in Stratford. Bailey Sanders pitched a six-inning no-hitter in the early game and Kasey Barrett tossed a one-hitter in the nightcap to lead the Brakettes.

Sanders struck out ten batters in six innings of work, while walking two. She improved to 13-1 with the win.

The Brakettes manufactured a run in the first inning of the opener, as Carly Normandin walked and moved to second on a well placed bunt single by Ashley Waters. With Denise Denis batting, Xpress started Jen Mineau threw a wild pitch, which kicked away from catcher Char Castro. Normandin came around from second to score, as the ball kicked toward the Brakettes’ dugout. The 1-0 lead would stand until the third.

Waters reached on an infield single with two outs in the third frame, and advanced on a single by Denis. Jess Mouse earned a walk, bringing Mandie Fishback to the plate. Fishback launched a bases-clearing double to left center, stretching the margin to 4-0.

Fishback moved to third on an error, which allowed Amber Radomski to reach first. Jenna Lopez dropped a bunt up the third base side, letting her reach with an infield single. The throw to first came late, and prompted Fishback to break for home, giving Stratford a 5-0 advantage.

Stacey Lajoie walked with one out in the sixth, and was sent to second on an infield single by Lindsey Kay Bright. Normandin smashed a triple to score both base runners, putting the Brakettes up 7-0. Waters then lined a double to center to score Normandin, ending the game at 8-0 due to the run-rule.

Kasey Barrett made her debut for the Brakettes in the late contest, and dazzled right from the start. She fanned the first five batters she faced, and ended the night with 15 strikeouts. She was perfect through five innings, and allowed just a single to Sarah Lima in the top of the sixth. Lima’s safety was a shot to the base of the fence in left, but a strong throw to second from Bright held Lima to a single.

The Brakettes put a runner on base with two outs in each of the first three innings. Finally, Stratford broke through in the fourth.

Mouse led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and made it to second on a sac bunt by Fishback. Radomski then reached on a single, sending Mouse to third. Stacey Lajoie reached on an error by the third baseman, and Mouse raced home with the first run.

Normandin reached on an error in the fifth, and took off for second when the defense assumed she was returning to the bag. Waters followed with a walk, bringing Denis to the plate. Denis doubled to the fence in right, scoring Normandin and sending Waters to third. Fishback then grounded a shot to the left side, which went under the shortstop’s glove, and into left field. Two runs came home, and the Brakettes were up 4-0.

Stratford put two more on the board in the sixth, when Bright walked and stole second base. She moved to third on a single by Normandin, who advanced to second on a groundout by Waters. A dropped pop-up off the bat of Denis allowed Bright and Normandin to come home, drawing the scoring to a close at 6-0.

Barrett struck out the side in the seventh to record a win in her first game as a Brakette. Sanders and Barrett combined to strike out 25 batters in 13 innings, while allowing just one hit.

Friday night was Breast Cancer Awareness Night at DeLuca, and all the proceeds from the night went to the “Susan G. Komen for the Cure” fund. The Brakettes wore pink jersey tops, and all staffers were also donned in pink for the special night.

The first-annual Brakettes staff home run derby was won by coach Jay Stratton, who launched four dingers in the event, held between games. Coach Rich Roessner and Webmaster Harlan Gage came in second place with one homer apiece.

The Brakettes return to action Saturday night at DeLuca Field, with a 7:00 doubleheader against Western NY Xtreme. The Xtreme finished last year’s ASA Nationals in second place, behind only the So Cal Hurricanes, pulling off an improbable first-round upset of the Brakettes in the process. The teams will meet again Sunday at 12 noon for two more games.

Follow all the action right here at brakettes.com.