Brakettes Win Twice, Slide by Lyons in Nightcap

July 11, 2010 - The Stratford Brakettes swept a doubleheader from the Lyons (PA) Spirit Saturday night, beating their familiar foes 8-0 and 2-1. Rachele Fico earned both wins to push her record to 17-0.

Rachele Fico struck out nine in the first game, hurling a six-inning no-hitter. She allowed just one base runner, as Liz Gall worked a two-out walk in the fifth inning.

Carly Normandin led off the home first with a single and stole second base. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, and was driven in on a single by Jess Serio, putting Stratford up 1-0. Serio moved up to second on a grounder by Kristyn Sandberg, and scored the Brakettes’ second run on a single by Mandie Fishback.

Lyndsay Mouse lined her third homer of the year to dead center with one out in the fourth inning, putting Stratford up 3-0. Jess Mouse followed her sister and was hit by a pitch. The Brakettes then patiently worked another run, earning three consecutive walks, including one with bases loaded to Denise Denis. Lyons starter Courtney Smyth kept the damage to a minimum, inducing a popup to leave the bases loaded with the score 4-0.

The Brakettes scored four more runs in the sixth frame to invoke the run-rule, leaving the Spirit on the field.

Jess Mouse led off with a walk, and reached second on a bunt single by Lindsey Kay Bright. Normandin also earned a base on balls, loading them up for Ashley Waters.

Waters delivered a double to score Mouse and Bright, pushing Normandin to third and extending the lead to 6-0. A wild pitch sent Normandin home and Waters to third, putting the decisive run just 60 feet away. Sandberg came up and lined a single to right field to score Waters, giving Fico and the Brakettes an 8-0 win.

Normandin started the late contest much like the first, as she reached on a bunt single and stole second. Sandberg drove her in with a single to put Stratford up 1-0.

Former Stratford Breaker and Bunnell H.S. product Sarah Calgreen made her first start for the Brakettes in the late game, and laced a double to left field in the second inning. Calgreen got caught in a rundown between second and third, marking the first of two straight innings in which the Brakettes put runners in scoring position, but could not plate any runs.

Spirit pitcher Liz Gall got out of trouble again in the third, as Normandin doubled and Denis earned her fifth walk of the doubleheader. Both runners stole a bag, putting Brakettes on second and third. Gall wiggled out of the jam, getting a popup to end the inning.

Lyons scored their run in the top of the fourth, when Elaine Bedell led off with a double to left. Gall dropped a bunt to move Bedell over, which was picked up in front of the plate. Sandberg had to throw around Gall, and sent a throw in the dirt to Waters at first. The ball kicked into right field, allowing Bedell to score on the error.

The Brakettes were retired in order by Gall in both the fourth and fifth innings, taking the game into the sixth with a 1-1 tie.

Denis picked up a base hit to start the sixth inning, and was sacrificed over by Sandberg. Fishback singled, which sent Denis to third. Fishback moved to second on the throw. Lyndsay Mouse launched a fly ball to right, and Denis tagged and beat the throw to break the stalemate.

Fico made the 2-1 lead work for her, and retired the side in order in the seventh inning to pick up her 17th win. She struck out seven in the nightcap, while walking none.

Karen Bauer and Bedell led Lyons, both going 2-for-3 with a single and a double.

The Brakettes and Spirit will battle it out again Sunday, with a doubleheader starting at 12 noon on the horizon.

All home games at DeLuca Field are video webcast at brakettes.com.