Brakettes Victorious on First Road Trip

June 8, 2013 - The Brakettes took both ends of a doubleheader from the Lyons Spirit on Saturday at Lyons Ballfield in Lyons, PA. Stratford improved to 8-0 with the sweep, posting 9-1 and 3-0 victories. The second game marked the first game to go the distance for the Brakettes in 2013.

Sam Greiner moved to 2-0 on the season with a two-hitter in the early contest, striking out three and walking two.

Elise Fortier got things rolling in the top of the second inning with a walk. With one out, Becca Carden drove Fortier in with a triple, putting the Brakettes on the board. Jess Mouse launched a sacrifice fly to score Mouse for a 2-0 advantage.

The Brakettes extended the lead in the third, as Kate Bowen led off with a single. Ashley Waters walked to put two on with no outs. Denise Denis sacrificed both runners over a bag with a bunt, before Steffi Call loaded the bases with another walk.

Fortier was then hit by a pitch by Spirit starter Jenn Shellhammer, sending Bowen home for a 3-0 lead. Mandie Fishback then delivered a sac fly to score Waters, stretching the margin to 4-0.

The Spirit scored the first run of the year by an opponent in the home third, as Lori Kwiatkowski led off with a walk. Kwiatkowski moved up a base on a groundout by Karen Bauer and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Danielle Kitchen reached on an infield single to plate Kwiatkowski, narrowing the gap to 4-1.

The run ended a 32 and 2/3 innings scoreless streak by Brakettes pitchers to start the season.

Stratford put the game out of reach in the fifth, as Mariel Schlaefer led off with her first homer of the 2013 season, a drive which ran to the fence in right-center.

Bowen followed with a single and went to second base on a one-out walk by Denis. Call reached on an infield single to load the bases, bringing Fortier to the plate. Fortier delivered a single for a 6-1 lead, scoring Bowen from third. With two outs, Carden drove in two with a single, chasing home Denis and Call for an 8-1 lead. An error on the play also allowed Fortier to come home, all the way from first, closing out the scoring at 9-1.

Runs were at a premium in the nightcap, as the Brakettes played their first close game of the year.

Lyons pitcher Liz Gall went the distance and gave up three runs on nine hits.

Fortunately for the Brakettes, Steffi Call threw a complete-game shutout, posting a two-hitter with three strikeouts.

Call helped herself out in the top of the third with a leadoff triple, and scored on a base hit by Mouse for a 1-0 edge. Amber Radomski drew a base on balls, moving Mouse to second. With two outs, Britt Lampert reached on a bunt single, and an error allowed Mouse to score from second for a 2-0 lead.

After the two-run second, Gall held the Brakettes at bay until the seventh inning. Denise Denis launched her first home run of the season to dead center, giving the Brakettes a 3-0 margin.

Call retired the side in the home seventh to close out the shutout, improving to 4-0 in the process. The Brakettes moved to 8-0 on the season by taking the doubleheader.

The Brakettes and Lyons Spirit will play each other again at 11:00 on Sunday morning at Lyons Ballfield in Lyons, PA. The games will be video webcast at brakettes.com.