Fico Sets Record as Denis Powers Brakettes

July 5, 2012 - Rachele Fico won her 78th straight game for the Brakettes, surpassing Barbara Reinalda for the franchise's longest winning streak, in Thursday night's sweep of the CT Eliminators. Denise Denis smashed two homers in the first game and clobbered another long ball in the nightcap, as the Brakettes won by 10-1 and 8-0 scores.

Fico improved her record on the season to 6-0, while extending her perfect mark with the club to 78-0, dating back to her 2008 debut. She struck out eight and did not allow a walk, while giving up an unearned run and four hits.

The Brakettes won both matchups in six innings, due to the run rule.

The Eliminators jumped ahead in the first inning of the early contest, as Steph Belanger reached on a two-base error. After stealing third, Belanger came home on a single by Sam Rossetti, putting the Eliminators on top, 1-0.

Alisa Heronema got things rolling for the Brakettes in the bottom of the inning, as she led off with the first of her three hits in the game.

Heronema moved over to second on a sacrifice by Ashley Waters and scored the tying run on a double by Denis, who had six hits in the twin bill.

Jess Mouse led off the second with a base hit and was sacrificed over by Katie Bowen. With two outs, Heronema drove in Mouse on a single for a 2-1 edge.

Denis continued her hot hitting with a line drive blast over the fence to start the third, giving the Brakettes a 3-1 advantage.

The Brakettes broke the game open in the fourth, as they plated four more runs.

Mouse led off the frame with her second single and scored on a double by Tammy Vermeulen, who eventually scored on an error.

Denis blasted her second homer of the game, a two-run shot, over the fence in right-center with two outs. The towering shot gave the Brakettes a commanding 7-1 lead after four.

After the Brakettes were retired in order in the fifth, Vermeulen led off the sixth with a bunt single and reached second as Heronema picked up another hit.

Waters followed and left the Eliminators on the field with a walk-off, three-run shot to left, closing out the scoring at 10-1.

Eliminator starter Jenn Lattal went four innings and struck out four Brakettes before being lifted for Sam Rossetti.

The second game marked the Brakettes debut of Sam Greiner, better known as the last pitcher to defeat the Brakettes.

Greiner led the Newtown (PA) Rock to a 7-3 Opening Night victory over the Brakettes on June 3rd, 2010. Since then, the Brakettes had won 150 straight games heading into Greiner's first home start at DeLuca.

Greiner certainly did not disappoint, striking out eight in a two-hit shutout. She walked two and hit a batter, but was in control throughout the game.

Alysson Fournier matched Greiner's early dominance in the circle for the Eliminators.

Fournier struck out the side in the first inning and fanned five, before getting touched up late for seven runs.

Denis was again the sparkplug for the Brakettes in the fourth, breaking a scoreless tie with a leadoff solo shot to left. The blast was her third of the night and fourth of the year.

The Brakettes eventually broke out against Fournier in the fifth, as Bowen reached on a one-out single. Amber Radomski followed with a bunt single to put two on.

A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up a bag. Vermeulen then reached on an infield single, and an errant throw let Bowen scored the Brakettes' second run.

Waters then looped a drive to right, which kicked up chalk as it split the line. The bases-clearing double gave the Brakettes a 5-0 lead.

Denis again came through with a double to push Waters across for a 6-0 margin. Denis stretched the lead to 7-0 when she raced home on a grounder by Stephanie Call.

After the Brakettes nearly closed it out in the fifth, Mouse made sure to accomplish just that in the sixth.

Mouse led off with a double to the right-center fence. She advanced to third on a pitch in the dirt and scored the decisive run on another wild pitch, ending the game at 8-0.

The Brakettes' previously scheduled Friday night games against the (PA) Elite Storm have been cancelled. The Brakettes will play the NY Raiders at 6:30 on Saturday and the NYC Havoc at 8:30, as part of a three-team round robin.

Both of Saturday's Brakette games will be broadcast at brakettes.com.