BRAKETTES HOST ST. LOUIS SAINTS IN DOUBLEHEADER TUESDAY NIGH

August 4, 2009 - Two of the pre-tournament favorites will meet tonight (Tuesday, Aug. 4) in a 7 o'clock doubleheader at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field as the Stratford Brakettes take on the St. Louis Saints. The Brakettes and Saints will be participating in the 12-team Women's Major Softball National Championship that starts Thursday at DeLuca Field and the Short Beach Recreation Complex.

Veteran Coach Ed Martz, now in his 55th year of women's softball, brings his club to DeLuca Field for the second straight year. Last year the Brakettes swept the series in four tightly-contested games. The Saints enter with a 14-7 overall record, coming off a fifth place finish in the USSSA World Series two weeks ago.

Manager John Stratton's Brakettes are 42-5 on the year, which includes 13 postponed games. The Brakettes' next win will be the team's 3,400th in their 63-year history. Kasey Barrett (5-0, 0.00 ERA) will pitch Tuesday night's opener, while either Bailey Sanders (15-1) or Jen Russell (11-2) will work the nightcap. The Brakettes close the regular season Wednesday with a single, nine-inning game against the Tradition 18-U North, which is led by UMass freshman pitcher Sara Plourde, who compiled a 6-1 collegiate record last spring.

With as many as nine possible games remaining, fourth-year outfielder Denise Denis is two home runs away from tying the single season record shared by Pat Dufficy (1990) and Germaine Fairchild (2005). Both players hit 15, but they did it with a lot more plate appearances. Dufficy had 242 official at bats to set the record, averaging one home run every 16.1 appearances. Fairchild had 175 at bats and hit for the circuit every 11.6 at bats. Denis has been up just 131 times, averaging one home run in just over 10 plate appearances.

All teams play two pool games Thursday. The Brakettes open at 12 Noon against the NYC Havoc and then play the Outten Trailblazers at 7 p.m. to begin the night session. Opening ceremonies begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets for the Women's Major Softball National Championships will be on sale both nights at DeLuca Field as well as opening day Thursday for tournament passes. There are seven sessions in the event that runs through Sunday. Tournament passes are $35 for box seats, $30 for reserved with back rests, and $25 for bleacher seats. Single session tickets are priced at $8 for box, $6 for reserved, and $5 for bleachers and may be reserved by calling (203) 378-7262.