Brakettes Win Two to Advance to Lyons Winner's Bracket Final

July 3, 2010 - The Stratford Brakettes won a pair of games by run-rule Saturday at the Lyons (PA) Fourth of July Tournament to advance to Sunday's winner's bracket final. The Brakettes will take on the Lyons Spirit at 9:30 for the chance to move on to the championship game.

Stratford defeated the East Coast (NJ) Elite Saturday morning by a score of 12-0, as Rachele Fico (11-0) struck out 16 batters in a one-hit performance. The game was a winner’s bracket quarter-final in the double-elimination tournament.

The Brakettes moved on to the winner’s bracket semi-final, where they blasted past the Lehigh Valley (PA) Gators, 14-1. Erin Gallagher pushed her record to 4-1 on the season, while striking out two and allowing three hits.

Both games were shortened due to the run-rule, with the first game going just four innings, and the latter of the two ending in five frames.

The early contest saw the Brakettes gain separation from the Elite early on, with two runs scored in the first inning. Carly Normandin doubled to start things off, and scored when Ashley Waters reached on a throwing error by the third baseman. Waters moved all the way to third on the play. Denis Denis then hit a towering shot that was misplayed in right field, scoring Waters, and giving Stratford a 2-0 lead.

Lyndsay Mouse kept the presseure on the Elite in the second inning, as she tripled to left with one out. With her sister Jess at the plate, Lyndsay scored on a wild pitch to put Stratford up 3-0. Jess Mouse eventually worked a walk and stole second base. Lindsey Kay Bright dropped down a beautiful bunt that moved Mouse to third, and the speedy Bright beat it out for an infield single.
Bright also stole second, giving the Brakettes two runners in scoring position. Normandin followed with a triple, driving in both Mouse and Bright, and pushing the lead to 5-0. Waters reached on a walk, and took off for second base. She drew a throw to second base, and stopped in her tracks to try to get caught in a rundown. As ball sailed toward second, Normandin raced home with the Brakettes’ sixth run.

Denis again came up and smashed a shot to right field, which was dropped by the right fielder. The error allowed Waters to score, and sent Denis to third. Kristyn Sandberg singled to score Denis, and the lead stood at 8-0.

Bright reached with one out in the third on an infield single, and moved to second on a pitch in the dirt. Normandin lofted a ball to left-center, and Bright had to wait to see if it would be caught. Bright advanced to third after it dropped safely, giving the Brakettes runners at second and third.

Waters dribbled a ball in front of the plate, which was scooped up by the catcher and thrown to first. As Bright scored easily from third, Normandin saw the plate left unoccupied and raced home from second for another run. The heads-up base running gave the Brakettes a 10-0 cushion.

Stratford plated two more runs in the fourth on a two-run single by Normandin. The base hit scored Mandie Fishback, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, and Jess Mouse, who reached on her second walk of the contest. With a 12-0 lead, the game was called due to the 12 run-rule after four innings.

The Brakettes also scored early and often against the Gators, again scoring two runs in the top of the first.

Normandin doubled to start things off, and scored on a bloop single to centerfield by Waters. An errant throw from center went up the third base line, letting Normandin score and Waters reach third.
Denis drilled a triple to the left-center gap, plating Waters for a 2-0 advantage. Denis tried to stretch it into an inside-the-park homer, but was tagged out at the plate as she slid in.

Jess Mouse led off the second with a walk, and moved to second on a bunt single by Bright. A wild pitch pushed both runners into scoring position, bringing Normandin up with no outs. Normandin drove in Mouse on a sacrifice fly, and Bright moved to third after tagging up. Bright then scored on a single by Waters, and the lead stood at 4-0.

The Gators scored their only run in the second inning, after Amy Kossyk reached on a single with one out. Alicia Marks grounded to Jess Mouse at third, who threw to Waters at second to get the lead runner. Mardks advanced to second on a pitch in the dirt, and moved to third on a base hit by Shelby Smith. Marcks eventually scored on a wild pitch to pull the Gators to within 4-1. Gallagher struck out the next batter to retire the side.

Stratford scored four more runs in the third to stretch the lead to 8-1.

With one out, Lyndsay Mouse reached second on a fielder’s choice. She moved to third on a passed ball, and Jess Mouse reached on her fourth walk of the day. Jess stole second, putting two in scoring position. Bright doubled to left field to score the Mouse sisters for a 6-1 lead. Bright was able to score from second on a two-out infield single by Normandin, who then scored on a double by Waters.

The lead stood at 8-1 until the fifth, when they sent nine batters to the plate and scored six more runs.

Christine DellaVecchia walked with one out in the inning, and Normandin also earned a walk. Amber Radomski drove in DellaVecchia with a single, and Normandin moved to second.

Denis delivered another single to score Normandin for a 10-1 lead, bringing Sandberg to the plate. Sandberg earned a walk to load the bases for Jess Serio.

Serio then smashed a bases-clearing triple to put Stratford up 13-1, and scored on a groundout by Fishback. The 14-1 lead would stand up, as Gallagher retired the side in the bottom of the fifth to secure the victory.

Normandin led the Brakettes on the day, going 6-for-6 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. She smashed three doubles and a triple, while driving in four runs and scoring six times. Bright went 4-for-4 and scored four runs.

The Brakettes will take on the Lyons (PA) Spirit Sunday at 9:30. The winner will advance to the 1:00 final and wait to play the last team standing in the loser’s bracket.