Heronema a Perfect 9-for-9 in Sunday Sweep

June 4, 2012 - The Brakettes knocked off the Newtown Rock and Stratford Seahawks back-to-back on Sunday afternoon, led by Alisa Heronema's impressive 9-for-9 showing. Heronema went 4-for-4 in a 3-2 win over the Rock and 5-for-5 in an 8-0 victory over the Seahawks, even delivering the game-clinching RBI in the finale.

The game against the Rock matched the Brakettes against the team that beat them last, exactly two years to the date of their last defeat. The Brakettes managed to hold off a Newtown rally to win 3-2, with all of Stratford's runs coming in the home third.

Brandice Balschmiter toiled through seven innings on the way to her fourth win in three days. She struck out four and walked five, while scattering seven hits.

Courtney Brandt was the starting pitcher for Newtown and their most productive hitter, as she collected three of the team's hits and drove in both runs. She drilled a first-inning double which one-hopped to the fence in left, but the Rock could not bring her home.

Brandt again came through in the top of the third after Amanda Germaldo led off with a walk. Germaldo raced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a grounder, before Brandt's single scored Germaldo for a 1-0 Newtown lead.

Heronema led off the home third with a bunt single, her second infield safety of the game. Ashley Waters dropped a bunt to move Heronema over, and had it beat out when the throw sailed into right field. Heronema came around to tie the game at 1-1, as Waters went to third on the throwing error.

Denise Denis delivered a double to plate Waters for a 2-1 lead, also giving the slugger her first extra-base hit of the year. Denis advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a single by Stacy Birk for a 3-1 advantage.

The Rock made it interesting in the fifth, as Germaldo and Nicole Cognini opened the inning with consecutive walks. Brandt picked up her second RBI on a single which scored Germaldo, pulling Newtown within 3-2.

Balschmiter buckled down over the last two frames to shut the door on the Rock, retiring the side in order in both innings to preserve the win.

The Rock dropped to 1-4 on the young season with the loss. They defeated the Seahawks 9-0 in five innings Sunday morning before their last game of the series against the Brakettes.

The Brakettes finished up the three-team round robin with an 8-0 win in six innings over the Seahawks.

Heronema led off the bottom of the first with a single, her fifth of the day, and stole both second and third. After walks by Waters and Mandie Fishback, Becca Carden smacked a bases-loaded, two-run single to open the scoring.

Birk followed with a walk to again load the bases, and Kate Bowen picked up another free pass to force in the Brakettes' third run.

Heronema started another inning with a base hit in the second and eventually scored on a sac fly by Carden, putting the Brakettes ahead, 4-0.

Jess Serio reached on a walk with one out in the third and went to second on Heronema's third hit of the game. Both runnners came home on wild pitches to put the Brakettes up 6-0.

After relief pitcher Tina Boehn shut down the Brakettes in the fourth and fifth frames, Carden started the sixth inning off with a walk. She moved to second on a groundout and scored on a base hit by Bowen. The run put the Brakettes up 7-0, and moved them within a run of closing out the action via the run rule.

Amber Radomski responded with a single, which pushed Bowen to third. With the Brakettes needing one run, the red-hot Heronema picked up her fifth hit of the game to score Bowen and bring a close to Opening Weekend.

The 8-0 win improved the Brakettes to 5-0 on the season and dropped the Seahawks to 0-2. The Brakettes have now won a franchise-record 124 straight games.

The Brakettes and Seahawks will match up yet again on Thursday night at 7:00 at DeLuca Field. Both games will be video webcast at www.brakettes.com.