Brakettes Finish Regular Season Undefeated

August 7, 2013 - Kate Bowen threw her second no-hitter of the season and three Stratford Brakettes went yard in a 2-0, 9-6 doubleheader sweep of the CT Charmers Tuesday night at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. The Brakettes closed out their regular season with the pair of wins at 62-0.

Bowen (2-0) started in the circle as the Brakettes were minus some of their regular options. The usual left-fielder and leadoff hitter was more than happy to show off her versatility, as she struck out five and had the game-winning RBI in the 2-0, game one victory. She also singled and scored twice in the nightcap, a wild affair which saw the Brakettes overcome a 4-0, first-inning deficit en route to a 9-6 decision.

The Brakettes were held off the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth in the early game, as Charmers' starting pitcher Sidney Matzko matched scoreless innings with Bowen.

Matzko didn't even allow a Brakette hit until the fourth, when Ashley Waters and Denise Denis had back-to-back singles to start the frame. Matzko retired the next three batters to get out of trouble.

Becca Carden reached with a leadoff single in the fifth and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Jess Mouse. Mariel Schlaefer reached on an error with one out and took second base without a throw on the next pitch, as the Charmers conceded the bag. Britt Lampert earned a walk to load the bases, as the Brakettes threatened to break the scoreless tie.

Bowen followed and lined a sac fly to left field, as Carden tagged up and scored the game's first run. The Brakettes took that 1-0 lead into the sixth, where Bowen had her third straight 1-2-3 inning.

Stratford added an insurance run in the sixth, when Elise Fortier blasted her team-leading 22nd homer of 2013. The 2-0 lead seemed to be a huge lead for Bowen, who had been on a tear.

Bowen again retired the side 1-2-3 to close out the win, as she set down the last 13 batters she faced. She walked one and hit a batter, but didn't allow either runner to advance to second. Mandie Fishback provided the web gem of the night with two outs in the seventh, as she ran down a looper in shallow left field to make an over-the-shoulder grab to preserve the no-hitter.

The Brakettes fought from a four-run hole to win the second game 9-6. Steffi Call started and did not have her normal control, as she walked the first three batters she faced and hit the fourth, forcing in a run before the Charmers made contact. She also surrendered run-scoring singles to Tatum Buckley, Brittany Allocca and Harleigh Kaczegowicz, as the Charmers claimed the largest lead of the year off the Brakettes.

The Brakettes chipped away at the lead in the first, as Bowen and Waters reached on back-to-back singles. Both runners moved up a bag on an error, before Denis and Call provided RBI groundouts to pull within 4-2.

Fishback led off the second with a double and tagged up on a shallow fly in right field to move to third. Mouse added another run-scoring groundout to narrow to margin to 4-3.

The Brakettes finally caught up in the third, as Bowen led off with a walk. Call erased the deficit with a two-run shot, her 21st home run of the season, putting the Brakettes on top, 5-4.

Becca Carden launched her fourth homer of the season in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-4.

Stratford added to the lead in the fifth, when Fortier delivered an RBI double to score Denis, who reached on a fielder's choice. After a walk by Fishback, Carden also drilled a double, scoring Fortier and Fishback for a 9-4 lead.

The Charmers pulled within 9-6 with a pair of sixth-inning runs, as Sydney Ferrante delivered a two-run double to plate Buckley and Katie Petroski.

Call retired the side in order in the seventh to improve to 25-0 on the season. She struck out seven and gave up five hits along the way.

The Brakettes will return to play on Thursday in the 5th Annual WMS Championships in Stratford, with a 1:00 game against the Jersey Fusion.

All games played at DeLuca Field in the WMS tourney will be live video webcast on brakettes.com.