Brakettes Finish Sweep of Spirit in Pennsylvania

June 13, 2010 - Whitney Canion hurled the club’s first no-hitter of the season, and Erin Gallagher worked a complete game shutout, as the Stratford Brakettes swept the Lyons Spirit, Sunday in Lyons, PA, by 6-0 and 2-0 scores.

Canion (2-0) recorded 13 strikeouts for the second straight day, and allowed just two walks, in no-hitting Lyons in the first game of the doubleheader.

Gallagher (3-1) fanned five batters and scattered four hits, as she picked up her first shutout as a Brakette in the late game.

In the first game, the Brakettes jumped ahead of the Spirit early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Lindsey Kay Bright singled up the middle on the first pitch of the game, and stole second base to move into scoring position. Ashley Waters bunted to move Bright to third, but an errant throw from Spirit starter Liz Gall allowed Waters to advance safely to second, and let Bright race home with the first run.

Mandie Fishback followed and singled Waters home from second for a 2-0 advantage. The Brakettes increased the lead to 3-0 when Lyndsay Mouse smashed a triple to plate Fishback.

Stratford scored two more runs in the third inning, when Waters led off and reached on a throwing error. Waters raced to third as the throw sailed into right field, and then scored the Brakettes’ fourth run on a double by Fishback. Jess Serio pushed the margin to 5-0 with a single that scored Fishback.

Waters continued her busy day with an infield single in the fifth. She stole second base, and scored on another Lyons miscue. With Waters on second, Fishback flew out to left field. Jenna Rau tried to double off Waters at second, but another off-target throw kicked away from the base, and the speedy Waters ran home to close out the scoring.

Canion pitched to just two batters more than the minimum, as a pair of walks to Karen Bauer was all that separated the Baylor University pitcher from perfection. Bauer reached base in nine of her last ten plate appearances of the series, going back to Saturday evening’s nightcap.

Gallagher delivered her strongest start yet as a Brakette in the late game, as she went the distance for the second straight contest. She was involved in an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel with Spirit starter Danielle Thacker, as neither team could score until the fifth inning.

The Brakettes got all the offense they needed in the top of the fifth, as Amber Radomski led off with a single. Bright came up next and reached on a bunt single, and Radomski moved to second base. Fishback came through with an RBI single to left field, sending Radomski home from second. The hard-hit liner was mishandled in left, and allowed Bright to score all the way from first, giving Stratford a 2-0 lead.

Gallagher worked in and out of trouble in the bottom of the seventh, as heavy rains started to fall during the last frame. Gallagher threw consecutive pitches in the dirt, both of which hit the batters as they stood in the box. Kaitlyn Marinelli and Rau took their free passes, and both moved up a base as the pesky Bauer picked up her second single of the game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Gallagher induced a soft popup back to the mound from Noisy Sommer to close out the victory.

The Brakettes benefited from the return of Jess Mouse to the roster, and the impressive debuts of Canion and Lyndsay Mouse, as they improved to 9-1 on the season.

Bright tallied three hits on the afternoon, as did Fishback. Waters, Serio, Radomski, and Lyndsay Mouse all contributed two hits apiece.

The Brakettes will return home and host the Connecticut H.S. All-Stars Friday night at DeLuca Field in Stratford, CT. The annual matchup features the best high school seniors from around the state, taking on the Brakettes in a single, nine-inning game.

The reigning Women’s Major Softball National Champions, the New York City Havoc, will return to DeLuca on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 to play two games against the Brakettes. The afternoon doubleheader will also be Stratford PAL Girls’ Softball Day at the field, as all Stratford PAL players and coaches will be acknowledged before the games, and with the players being invited onto the field with Brakettes during the announcing of starting lineups. PAL players will also serve as batgirls for the doubleheader.

All Brakettes home games at DeLuca Field will be video webcast at brakettes.com.