Denis Powers Brakettes Past Pride

June 29, 2013 - The Stratford Brakettes sprinted past the Mass Pride on Saturday night at DeLuca HOF Field, grabbing both ends of a doubleheader in run-rule fashion, 9-1 and 15-0. Denise Denis hit the 70th and 71st career homers in the first game, becoming the first Brakette with a multi-HR game in 2013.

Sam Greiner picked up the win in the early tilt, as she improved her record to 11-0 for the 2013 season. She struck out four and walked none in a four-hit victory, while plunking a batter who would later score the only Pride run of the day.

The Brakettes manufactured an early run with some small ball, as Ashley Waters singled in the first and took second on a wild pitch. After Denise Denis grounded out to first base, sending Waters to third, Steffi Call singled to score Waters for a 1-0 edge.

Stratford added to the advantage in the second inning, when Mandie Fishback walked and reached second on another wild pitch. Becca Carden laced a triple to plate Fishback, extending the tally to 2-0. Jess Mouse followed and sent Carden home with an RBI groundout to the right side for a 3-0 lead.

The Mass Pride scored their run in the third frame, after Hailey Mullen led off and was hit by Greiner. A wild pitch sent Mullen to second, and she advanced to third after a failed pick-off attempt and rundown by the Brakettes. Emily Hendricks grounded out to short, but the high-hopper gave Mullen time to scamper home to close the gap to 3-1.

The Brakettes provided more separation from the Pride in the bottom of the third, as Britt Lampert led off with a base hit. Greiner followed and helped herself out by beating out a bunt single, putting two on with no outs. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base, before Waters lofted a sac fly, which scored Lampert and sent a tagging Greiner to third.

The Brakettes led 4-1 when Denis strode to the plate with Greiner at third. Denis crushed her fourth homer of the season over the right-field fence, making her just the second Brakette ever to reach the 70 home run plateau for her career.

The two-run shot put Stratford up 6-1, as Greiner went back to work in the top of the fourth.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson and Alyssa Zahka each reached on infield singles in the frame and advanced into scoring position with one out. However, Greiner was able to get retire the next two batters to strand runners at second and third.

The Brakettes tacked on another run in the home fourth, when Elise Fortier reached on a leadoff single. She advanced to second on a passed ball and headed to third on a grounder to the right side. Carden came through with her second run-producing hit of the night, a single to center to score Fortier for a 7-1 lead.

Maggie Quealy produced a fifth-inning single for the Pride and moved to second on a groundout, but was left right there by Greiner, who sat down the last five batters she faced. The only other Pride hit in the game was an infield single in the first by Jenn Robillard.

Denis gave the crowd something to cheer about in the sixth inning, when she launched her second long ball of the game to left-center, a two-run shot which left the Pride on the field.

Kate Bowen had reached on an error and stood at first when Denis hit her 71st career homer, her fifth of the year. The blast closed out the scoring at 9-1 and ended the game due to the run rule. It also brought Denis to within 20 homers of all-time Brakettes' home run queen Pat Dufficy, who has 91.

Denis finished the game with four RBI's, while Carden also had two hits and two runs batted in.

Steffi Call took the circle in the second contest and dominated once again. She gave up just a first-inning, leadoff single to Diaz-Patterson and did not allow a walk. Call started a 1-6-3 double play to erase the lone base runner in the first, and also struck out seven batters in an abbreviated, five-inning appearance.

The Brakettes got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first, after back-to-back walks by Waters and Denis. Call singled up the middle to load the bases, giving Fortier an early chance to do some damage.

Fortier roped a double to clear the base paths, scoring all three runners for a 3-0 lead. Carden later drove in Fortier on a fielder's choice grounder, and scored on a double by Fishback for a 5-0 advantage.

Stratford scored eight runs in the bottom of the second, putting the game out of reach. They sent 13 batters to the plate in the frame, picking up seven singles and a pair of walks in the marathon inning.

Mariel Schlaefer started the inning with a walk and moved up on a bunt single by Lampert. After Bowen reached on an infield single, Waters walked with the bases loaded to drive in Schlaefer for a 6-0 margin.

Steffi Call and Elise Fortier contributed back-to-back singles, each which drove in two runs. The pair of base hits extended the lead to 10-0, but the Brakettes were not done yet.

Fortier was chased home on an RBI single by Mouse, and Radomski added an RBI with a base hit to score Fishback. Mouse eventually came home on an error to bring the tally to 13-0.

Fortier tied Call for the team-lead in home runs with a solo shot in the fourth, her seventh of the year. The homer put the lead at 14-0.

Fishback then reached on a walk, which was followed by singles by Carden and Mouse, loading the bases again. Radomski grounded out to shortstop, but the play allowed Fishback to score the final run, rounding out the scoring at 15-0.

Alyssa Zahka reached on an error in the top of the fifth, ending a streak of eleven straight retired by Call. However, the powerful righty got the next three outs to secure the victory and improve her 2013 mark to 13-0.

Fortier led the charge in the second game with three hits, including the homer and a double, plus 6 RBI's. Mouse also had three hits, including a double, and contributed two RBI's. Bowen and Call each had a pair of safeties in the contest, while four Brakettes scored twice.

The Brakettes return to action Friday night, July 5th at 7:00 against the Stratford Seahawks at DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford. The Brakettes wish you a happy and safe Fourth of July and holiday weekend!

All 2013 Brakettes' home games are live video webcast at www.brakettes.com.