Brakettes Win Two; Honor Sandy Hook Victims

August 2, 2013 - by Ilan Woll

The Brakettes defeated the Stratford Seahawks 8-0 and 9-0 on Friday at DeLuca Field, on a night when softball took a back seat. To commemorate those fallen during that tragic day in Newtown last December, Newtown resident and Brakette shortstop Mandie Fishback took the mic and asked the crowd to remember the 20 children and six teachers that were lost. Among the teachers was Stratford resident, Victoria Soto, who died protecting her school children.

After introductory remarks, members of Victoria's family threw out ceremonial first pitches.16 year-old Connecticut resident Bailey Jeffko followed Fishback and sang her original tribute song "26 Angels", which has garnered more than 100,000 views on YouTube. The National Anthem was played, before the crowd observed a moment of silence for Newtown. The crowd was encouraged to wear green and white, the Sandy Hook school colors, and the Brakettes wore green and white jerseys.

Steffi Call started the game, facing Anna Mallory of the Seahawks. Call retired the first 7 batters she faced, and allowed just one baserunner (a single by Vee Alicea in the 3rd), while striking out eight.

Conversely, the Brakettes offense started early as leadoff hitter Kate Bowen drilled a double to left-center. After the next two batters were retired, Call hit a ground ball to third base which was not fielded cleanly. Elise Fortier then launched her 21st home run of the season to straight centerfield to gain an early 3-0 lead.

After a quiet second, the Brakettes erupted in the third frame with one out, as Bowen was hit by a pitch. After a lineout to left field snagged by a ranging CJ Semones, Denise Denis then singled to center. Call followed and smashed a one-hopper to the 290-foot slow pitch fence for her 19th home run of the year. Fortier then doubled, but was stranded there by Mallory.

The fourth inning saw the home team score two more. Following a triple to deep centerfield by Becca Carden, Amber Radomski hit her first home run of the season to left-center to give the Brakettes enough runs for a run-rule game.

Call retired the side in the fifth to close it out for her 23rd win. Fortier and Radomski both had two hits in the contest for the Brakettes.

Game 2 featured Seahawk and Havoc veteran Allison Chiaramonte facing new Brakettes pitcher Allyson Fournier.

Fournier, who was dominant as Tufts won the 2013 Division III NCAA title, going 25-1 with a 0.59 ERA, pitched for a team she faced earlier this year with the Tradition 18U squad.

Fournier's debut started with Vee Alicea gaining her second hit of the doubleheader into leftfield. After Fournier struck out the next two batters, Shari Paci drilled a rise ball into centerfield for a base hit. However, the next batter struck out swinging, as Fournier allowed just one more baserunner the rest of the way.

The Brakettes continued their torrid hitting with two outs in the first. After Ashley Waters singled and swiped second, Steffi Call hit a line drive up the middle, scoring Waters. Elise Fortier then reached on a throwing error and Mandie Fishback loaded the bases with an infield single. Becca Carden drove in two runs with a double to the right-center gap. Jess Mouse then hit a sharp ground ball, mishandled by the infield, which scored Fishback. Carden scored on a wild pitch which sent Mouse to third. The Brakettes left the first with a 5-0 advantage.

The 2nd inning continued the offensive rally for the Brakettes. After Brittany Lampert singled to left, Bowen then reached on a force play and scored on a double from Waters. Denise Denis continued the hot hitting, singling in Waters for a 7-0 lead. Seahawks' third baseman Katie Flynn closed out the frame with a web gem at third, as she started a double play when she fielded a hot grounder, stepped on the bag and threw to first to cap the lead at seven.

The Brakettes loaded the bases in the third as Carden and Mouse singled. Mariel Schlaefer then walked. However, they did not score. The fourth however, saw the mercy run rule applied as Waters singled to left with one out. Denis then hit into a force and Call singled her over to second. Fortier then walked before the organizer of the night's events, Mandie Fishback, doubled with a sharp fly into the gap, plating two and giving the Brakettes the 9-0 margin. Fournier retired the Seahawks in order to preserve the 9-0 decision.

Allyson Fournier dominated in her debut, striking out ten and allowing just three base runners, on two singles and an error. Waters had three hits, as Call, Fishback and Carden each contributed two.

The Seahawks, led by Shari Paci and Vee Alicea, came out to encourage donations to a charity dear to their hearts, raising funds for The 900 Project to help build latrines in Haiti after the destruction caused by the 2010 earthquakes. Donations to this charity can be made at www.the900project.org.

The Brakettes record improves to 58-0 on the year. They will return to action Saturday night at 7:00 to play the Stratford Diamonds, and take on the CT Charmers next Tuesday at 6pm ET. Following that, they enter the Women's Major Softball tournament to end the season August 8-11. All games will be broadcast on www.brakettes.com.