Brakettes Drop Thriller to SoCal Hurricanes; Defeat Condors in Losers Bracket

July 28, 2012 - The SoCal Hurricanes won the long-anticipated matchup between the two coastal powers on Saturday morning in Henderson, NV, with a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Brakettes. Stratford came back and then beat the Condors 5-1, as they started the long road back out of the losers bracket.

The Brakettes will have to win five more games if they are to capture the Fastpitch Championship Invitational (FCI), including two more Saturday night and three on Sunday.

Brandice Balschmiter started for the Brakettes against the Hurricanes and delivered a strong performance. She struck out six and gave up seven hits, while walking two.

The Hurricanes generated most of their offense with the long ball, going deep three times, including twice in the seventh inning. The Brakettes held a 3-2 lead with two outs in the seventh, before back-to-back solo shots by Hallie Wilson and Melissa Roth.

Kylee Lahners got the ball rolling for the Hurricanes in the first inning with a homer, giving SoCal a 1-0 lead.

After Denise Denis walked with two outs in the bottom of the first, Steffi Call pulled her 13th homer of the year down the line in left. The two-run shot gave the Brakettes a 2-1 lead.

The Hurricanes tied it in the top of the fifth, as Megan Blank scored on a groundout by Roth.

Alisa Heronema gave the Brakettes the lead again at 3-2 with an opposite field, inside-the-park homer to left. The shot was her third of the year.

Stratford came back immediately after the loss to beat the California Condors, 5-1.

The Brakettes picked up four runs in the first, as Heronema led off with a single.

Ashley Waters walked, and then both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Steffi Call lofted a double to right to score Heronema, but Waters had to hold up to see if the ball would drop in.

Mandie Fishback delivered a sac fly to score Waters for a 2-0 lead. Mariel Schlaefer, who came in to run for Call, scored on a base hit by Becca Carden, putting Stratford up 3-0.

Jess Mouse also came through with an RBI single, scoring Carden for a 4-0 advantage.

The Condors scored their lone run in the third, as Ahsha Prithviraj singled home Heather Bacon, who reached on a walk. The run closed the gap to 4-1.

Fishback picked up another RBI in the fifth, scoring Denis for a 5-1 margin. The game was called after six frames due to a pre-determined time limit.

The Brakettes will play the Scorpions at 7 PT (10 ET) Saturday night. The winner of that game will advance to play the victor of the Storm USA-Corona Angels matchup, at 8:45 PT (11:45 ET).

The Hurricanes went on to defeat the Corona Angels 4-2, and will play in the winners bracket final Saturday night.

If the Brakettes can win two Saturday night, they would advance to play in the losers’ bracket final on Sunday morning at 8 PT (11 ET).

All Brakette games from the 2012 FCI tournament will be video webcast at brakettes.com.