Brakettes Claim Third Straight WMS Title

August 13, 2012 - The Stratford Brakettes beat the St. Louis Saints 7-0 on Sunday to capture the 2012 WMS Championship at DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford, CT. The Brakettes won their third straight title and closed out the 2012 season at 68-3, racing to the finish with an 18-game winning streak.

Tournament MVP Denise Denis hit a first-inning solo shot in the Championship Game to provide the WMS Most Outstanding Pitcher Brandice Balschmiter with all the offense she would need.

Denis went 9-for-15 in bracket play to lead the Brakettes’ offensive juggernaut. In addition to being presented with the Micki Stratton Award, given annually to the tournament MVP, Denis picked up the Pat Dufficy Award as the WMS home run queen, with three long balls. She also drove in 11 runs, while collecting two doubles and a triple.

Balschmiter struck out 11 and gave up just three hits in the shutout, as she closed out her 2012 season with a 36-2 record. She earned the Joan Joyce Award by recording 22 strikeouts in a combined 12 innings of bracket play, after sharing the award with teammate Rachele Fico in last year’s championship.

After the homer by Denis in the first, her 13th of the year, St. Louis starter Meg Soultz kept the Brakettes’ bats at bay until the fifth inning.

Becca Carden started the Brakette fifth with a leadoff double and was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Jess Mouse. Carly Normandin earned a one-out walk and stole second, putting runners at second and third.

Kate Bowen then ripped a double to score Carden and Normandin for a 3-0 lead.

After Alisa Heronema walked, Ashley Waters picked up an RBI base hit, plating Bowen to stretch the margin to 4-0.

The Brakettes put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth, as they tacked on three more runs.

With two outs in the sixth, Mouse reached base on a walk. She came home to score on a triple by Normandin, pushing the lead to 5-0.

Bowen followed by launching a two-run blast to close out the scoring at 7-0. It was her third home run of the 2012 campaign.

Balschmiter worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to retire the Saints and capture the Brakettes' third straight championship.

Bowen was 3-for-3 in the title game, with a homer, double and four RBI’s. Normandin contributed a triple and a double, a walk and a stolen base, while driving in a run and scoring another.

Award winners Denis and Balschmiter were also named to the 2012 WMS All-Tournament Team in the outfield and at pitcher, respectively.

They two former UMASS stars were joined on the squad by Brakette teammates Alisa Heronema (catcher), Steffi Call (first base), Ashley Waters (second base), Kate Bowen (utility), and Rachele Fico (pitcher).

Bowen also won the Diane Schumacher Award as the Tournament Batting Queen, going 7-for-10 (.700) in bracket play.

The Saints placed four players on the post-tourney honor roll, with Chelsey Carmody (shortstop), Rachael West (outfield), Ashley Hall (utility) and Meg Soultz (pitcher) being named All-WMS First Teamers.

The win captured the Brakettes’ 31st National Title, having won 28 ASA Women’s Major titles and the last three WMS Championships.