SHELTON'S BRITTANY LAMPERT A NICE FIT FOR UNBEATEN STRATFORD BRAKETTES

July 4, 2013 - When Stratford Brakettes Manager John Stratton was putting his roster together he was searching for a fourth outfielder. He didn't have to look beyond Shelton to find the answer in Brittany Lampert, a 5-foot-5 speedster and outstanding defensive player.

Appearing in 21 games thus far, Lampert has raised her batting average to .500 (21-for-42). She has scored 15 times and driven in 13 runs for the Brakettes, who take a 28-0 record into Friday night's 7p.m. doubleheader against the Stratford Seahawks at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. The teams will also meet Saturday at 7 p.m. in another twin-bill.

"Brittany has been a real pleasant surprise," said Stratton. "I had her on my list since last year when she drilled a single up the middle for the Connecticut High School all-stars against Rachele Fico. We kept getting good reports on her progress at Concordia (NY) College this spring and she was the perfect fit for us." She joins starters Denise Denis (.364, 20 RBI), Becca Carden (.400, 21 RBI) and Newtown's Kate Bowen (.451,18 RBI) in the outfield alignment.

Lampert led Concordia with her .365 batting average as a freshman. She also had 35 hits and 14 stolen bases. A two-time all-state pick at Shelton High, Lampert batted .549 with 34 runs scored and 40 stolen bases during her senior campaign.

The Brakettes will also face the Connecticut Angels Sunday at 6 p.m. in a doubleheader. The Angels are managed by legendary Stamford Catholic standout Art DeFilippis and they feature many former high school stars from the FCIAC. Pitcher Jessica DiMaio of Darien (UConn), pitcher Jen and catcher Liz Joseph of Stamford (both at Springfield College), Stamford's Jillian Masi (Amherst) and Wilton's Stacy Pokora (RIJC) are among the team leaders.

For the third straight year the Brakettes finished unbeaten in the month of June. This month brings several tough challenges for the 32-time national champions. They face the Rock 18 Gold next Thursday before preparing for a nine-inning contest with the New York/New Jersey Comets of the National Pro Fastpitch league July 17th. The Rock is the last team to beat the Brakettes at DeLuca Field, back on June 4, 2010. Since then the Brakettes have won 138 straight home games. The Brakettes' record 168 game winning streak ended last July 25 when they dropped a doubleheader to the NPF Akron Racers by identical 5-3 margins in Akron.

Currently riding a 46-game streak, dating back to last July 28, the Brakettes will welcome a new pitcher to the roster. Emily Weiman, a 5-foot-9 sophomore at North Carolina State University, will join the club within the next week. She fashioned a 33-18 record for the Wolfpack, leading them to their second Atlantic Coast Conference championship and an NCAA tournament berth. Weiman, of Pasadena, MD, appeared in 54 games for NC State and had a 1.97 ERA with 271 strikeouts in 323 innings. Named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, Weiman lost a heard-breaking 1-0, 11-inning game to eventual national runner-up Tennessee in the NCAA tournament. Weiman's arrival comes at the right time for the Brakettes, who will finish the month of July in quest of their first USSSA World Series championship in Rockford, IL, July 26-28.

Stephanie Call (14-0) and Samantha Greiner (11-0) will handle the pitching chores this weekend. Call has yet to allow a run in 77 innings of work. Call leads the club with 36 RBI, just two more than rookie Elise Fortier, who is the team batting leader at .540.