Brakettes Win 2013 USSSA World Series Title

July 28, 2013 - The Stratford Brakettes added another title to their resume on Sunday in Rockford, Illinois, as they captured the USSSA World Series Championship. Stratford defeated HOOTERS Fastpitch of Lansing, Michigan in both the Winners Bracket Final, 2-0, and in the Championship Game, 6-3, to bring the trophy back to Connecticut.

Emily Weiman earned both victories, throwing a complete-game, three-hitter in the Winners Bracket Final, and coming on in relief to strike out eight batters in the Championship Game. She was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher after winning four games in two days.

The Winners Bracket Final was the most suspenseful game of the tournament, as Weiman and Sara Driesenga battled in a classic pitcher's duel. Weiman, a junior-to-be at North Carolina State, and Driesenga, who led Michigan to the College World Series this year as a sophomore, traded scoreless innings until the fifth.

The Brakettes had numerous chances to score in the first four innings, but Driesenga shut down every potential rally.

Ashley Waters singled in the first and was stranded at second base, as HOOTERS right-fielder Hanne Stuedemann made a fantastic tumbling catch of a liner by Steffi Call to end the inning. Elise Fortier added a second-inning base hit and advanced to third before being stranded there, as Driesenga induced a grounder to third base by Jess Mouse to close out the stanza.

HOOTERS also had their chances, putting two on with two outs in the first, as Stuedemann singled and Caitlin Blanchard reached on an error. Weiman shut the door by getting Taylor Hasselbach to ground out to second base for the last out.

Weiman hurled 1-2-3 innings in both the second and third, and Driesenga did the same in her half of the third frame.

The Brakettes had their best chance yet in the top of the fourth, as Fortier walked with two outs. Fishback and Becca Carden reached on back-to-back infield singles, loading the bases, but Driesenga picked up a crucial strikeout to get out of trouble.

Fortier delivered had the biggest hit of the tourney, a bases-loaded single in the fifth inning, breaking a scoreless tie and giving Weiman all the support she would need.

The Brakettes pieced together the rally with two outs, starting with a single by Waters. Denis reached on an error, when Driesenga fielded a dribbler in front of the mound and fired to first. The throw hit the first baseman’s glove, but kicked away and sent Waters to third. Denis advanced to second on the play, putting two in scoring position. Call followed and earned a walk to load the bases. Fortier drove in Waters and Denis with a hard-hit single up the middle for the 2-0 lead.

HOOTERS refused to go quietly, as Haley Thibeault led off the bottom of the fifth and reached on an error. With one out, Lauren Bowman beat out an infield single to put two runners on base. A groundout by Raechel Zahrn moved both into scoring position, but Weiman got Jenny Rohn to ground out to first to end the inning.

The Brakettes tried unsuccessfully for an insurance run in the sixth, as Mouse singled with one out. Mariel Schlaefer came on as a courtesy runner for Mouse and went first-to-third on a base hit by Kate Bowen. Schlaefer slid in safely before the throw, which allowed Bowen to take second. With runners at second and third, Driesenga got Waters to ground out to first to thwart the rally.

Weiman retired the side in both the sixth and seventh innings, striking out three in the two frames. She fanned the last two batters she faced to secure the win and a berth in the Championship Game. She finished with six strikeouts and did not allow a walk.

The 2-0 decision knocked HOOTERS into the Losers Bracket Final, where they beat the defending champion Indiana Slammers, 7-3, to get a second crack at the Brakettes. The Slammers reached that contest with a 7-0 win over SGS Magic White (Ohio) in the Losers Bracket Semifinal.

Stratford scored three in the top of the first inning of the Championship Game, seemingly giving the Brakettes all the runs they needed, as they had only given up two runs through the first five games of the tournament. However, HOOTERS would again put up a worthy fight.

HOOTERS went with a pitcher-by-committee strategy in the Championship Game, as they used four different hurlers in the contest.

The Brakette runs came quickly in the first, with Bowen leading off with an infield single. Waters sacrificed Bowen to second, and Denis walked to put two on. Call followed with an RBI single that plated Bowen for a 1-0 edge.

Fortier then lofted a pop fly to the right side, which was caught by second baseman Haley Thibeault on the fringe of the outfield grass. Thibeault had her back to the plate when she made the acrobatic catch, and Denis forced the action by tagging up and heading for third. The throw to third kicked away and sent Denis home with the Brakettes’ second run.

Call took second on the error and scored when Fishback smashed a double to the fence, putting Stratford up 3-0.

HOOTERS came right back in their half of the first, as Jenny Rohn walked with one out. Left-handed hitter Hanne Stuedemann launched a two-run homer to the opposite field, drawing HOOTERS to within 3-2 and adding some more drama to an already intense matchup.

Sam Greiner, who threw a four-inning perfect game against the Michigan Lookouts earlier in the tournament, started the game for the Brakettes, but was relieved in the second inning after giving up a leadoff single to Thibeault.

Weiman retired the next three batters in relief and did not face another tough spot until the bottom of the seventh inning.

Fortier provided the Brakettes with an insurance run in the top of the fourth, as she drilled her 20th homer of the year. The solo shot put the Brakettes up 4-2 and made Fortier just the third Brakette ever to reach the 20-home run plateau in a season.

Call and Becca Carden added solo shots in the sixth to push the margin to 6-2, giving the Brakettes more separation from HOOTERS. Carden’s home run cleared the fence in right field and was her second of the season.

Call’s shot was her 18th in 2013 and the 70th homer of her career. Only ASA National Hall of Famer Pat Dufficy (91) and Denis Denis (75) have more in their careers as a Brakette.

With a four-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh, the Brakettes needed just three more outs to clinch the championship.

Weiman retired the first two batters in order and pushed HOOTERS to the brink, but she would have to work hard to close it out.

Evelyn Lorimen pinch-hit for Raechel Zahrn with two outs and doubled to keep hopes alive for HOOTERS Fastpitch. Jenny Rohn followed with an RBI single to narrow the margin to 6-3.

With two outs and Rohn at first, Stuedemann grounded to the right side. Waters fielded the hard-hit chopper and flipped to Fishback at second for the final out, giving the championship to the Brakettes.

Stratford improved to 56-0 on the season, as HOOTERS dropped to 12-3 in USSSA play.

Steffi Call earned the USSSA World Series MVP Award, smashing three home runs and picking up the win in the Winners Bracket Quarters.

Fortier was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player with four home runs in the tournament, including one in the Championship Game and the pivotal two-run base hit of the Winners Bracket Final.

Ashley Waters, Mandie Fishback and Jess Mouse were named to the All-World Series Team. HOOTERS shortstop Jenny Rohn earned the Most Outstanding Defensive Player. HOOTERS pitcher Sara Driesenga was also on the All-World Series Team.

The Brakettes smashed a tournament-leading 11 home runs in the seven contests, as they defeated six different teams from the fastpitch-strong Midwest region.

The Brakettes knocked off the Michigan Lookouts and Diamonds Forever (Illinois) in Pool Play and the Cincy Storm (Ohio), Avanti's Angels (Illinois), SGS Magic White (Ohio) and HOOTERS (Michigan) in bracket play.

There were a total of 16 teams from seven states represented at the tournament, although the Brakettes did not face any teams from Indiana, Missouri or Wisconsin. The defending champion Indiana Slammers (finished 3rd), St. Louis (Missouri) Saints (tied-5th place), or the Wisconsin Blues (13th place) were the lone participants from their respective states.

The Brakettes return to the field on Thursday night against the CT Tradition South with a 7 pm doubleheader at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field.

All 2013 Brakettes home games are live video webcast on brakettes.com.