Balschmiter Impresses with 3 Saturday Shutouts

June 16, 2012 -

by Ilan Woll

Brandice Balschmiter pitched the Brakettes to shutout wins over the Lyons Spirit, Storm (PA) Elite and (PA) Shockers on Saturday at Lyons Ballfield, giving up only six hits over 15 innings, and improving her record to 10-0.

In the first inning of game 1, Alisa Heronema singled and was sac bunted to second by Ashley Waters. Spirit pitcher Mandi Rush then retired the next 2 hitters to hold Stratford scoreless.

In the 2nd Mandie Fishback singled, then advanced on a groundball. Carly Normandin reached on an infield single, putting runners on the corners for Jess Mouse who drove the ball into deep right-center for a triple. After Karen Bauer made a nice leaping grab to deny a hit to Tammy Vermeulen, Heronema singled Vermeulen in for the third run of the inning.

The third saw more dynamics as the Brakettes brought 11 batters to the plate. Fishback singled to center, then Becca Carden tripled into left center for the RBI. Carly Normandin hit the ball to third base, but after checking the runner, the throw was not in time to get the UMass speedster. Mouse then doubled down the left field line, plating both Carden and Normandin. Vermeulen then singled for an RBI. Heronema hit a long single, and an attempt to pick her off first went out of play. This gave the Brakette base runners two extra bases, and Denise Denis singled in another run giving Stratford six runs for the inning.

The 4th saw Carden and Normadin both singling and Mouse driving in a run with a single that dropped in front of the centerfielder. Vermeulen then hit a sharp grounder to first which was misplayed, putting her at 1st. Denis and Steph Call then added to the scoring with a single and triple respectively. The Brakettes had tallied five runs and batted around.

Brandice Balschmiter meanwhile showed off the skills that made her a star at UMass and in the NPF allowing only 3 hits, with no walks and 6 strikeouts and only Megan Greiss reaching scoring position.

Offensively, the Brakettes finished with fourteen runs on nineteen hits, with Hernonema, Normandin, and Mouse having 3 hits each while Waters, Denis, Fishback and Carden had 2.

Game 2 saw the Storm Elite come in with Izzy Trottier, who had defeated Stratford twice as a Topton VIP in 2009 to win the Topton Invitational, facing the dominant Balschmiter dropball and, outside of a Kaylie Hafer single and one walk, they could not catch up with her pitches. Brandice finished off the game with another eight strikeouts.

The offense exploded early and often. In the first inning Ashley Waters drilled a ball to right center. By the time the right fielder got the ball, there was no chance to get the speedy Waters as she got an inside the park home run. Denise Denis then doubled, followed by a walk to Stephanie Call and back to back doubles down the line from Fishback and Normandin. Jess Mouse then tripled to left center and Amber Radomski smacked a double down the left field line as the team scored 6 runs in the first.

In the 2nd, Waters singled up the middle, and Denise Denis hit a hard shot to deep center, tracked down by UMass standout Cyndill Matthew for an out. With two out, Fishback reached on an error, and a Carly Normandin single brought in Waters for the solo run of the inning.

In the third, Radomski continued her power display with a double to left, scoring on a single by LSU freshman Tammy Vermeulen. Heronema then drove her in as the Brakettes expanded their lead to 9-0.

However, the fireworks continued in the fourth. Normandin and Mouse both singled, advancing an extra base on a throwing error. Radomski hit a deep shot to right field for a sacrifice fly followed by an RBI single for Vermeulen.

The fifth inning saw a long drive to right center by Stephanie Call who reached second with a two-bagger. Then, following an infield hit by Fishback, Normandin's sac fly brought in Call for the last run of the game.

Along with Brandice's 1-hitter, other superlatives were multi-hit games for 8 of the 9 Brakettes hitters, including 3 hits for Carly Normandin.

Game 3 would prove to be the toughest of the day with Natalie Buch facing off against a heavily-worked Brandice Balschmiter, now throwing her 3rd game of the day.

For the first two innings, both pitchers faced the minimum. In the 2nd, Shocker catcher Tonya Lance singled to center. Nutt Negri then grounded to Stephanie call who charged the ball, threw to Mandie Fishback at second for the force on Lance. Mandie then fired to Ashley Waters in time to beat the hitter by a step for the 3-6-4 double play.

In the 3rd, the Brakette bats woke up as Amber Radomski doubled to deep center. Alisa Heronema then singled her in. Alisa stole 2nd base before the ball was even sent back to the pitcher and scored on a Waters' liner to left field. Fishback then doubled and Stephanie Call blasted a shot to deep center, which, due to the 265 foot fence at Lyons, was held to a triple as Stratford scored 4 runs on 5 hits.

The 4th, meanwhile, saw Becca Carden single and steal second. A Jess Mouse walk then set up a 2 RBI single for Alisa Heronema. Waters and Fishback also singled to expand the lead to 7-0.

In the bottom of the fifth frame, the team needed one run for the run-rule victory. Becca Carden singled with one out, and, after a fly ball to center, Amber Radomski worked out a walk. Tammy Vermuelen lined a single to centerfield which was enough to end the game as Carden touched home plate for the 8-0 win.

Balschmiter meanwhile threw her 2nd one hitter, striking out ten with no walks. She finished the day with 15 innings pitched, allowing no runs on 6 hits, striking out 24 and walking one.