Brakettes Post Two Shutouts in Pool Play

August 8, 2013 - The Stratford Brakettes defeated a pair of out-of-state rivals on Thursday night in pool play at the 2013 Women's Major Softball National Championship, blanking the Jersey (NJ) Fusion, 12-0, and the Lyons (PA) Spirit, 3-0. Stratford relied on the right arm of Emily Weiman in both contests, and she responded with a pair of one-hitters.

Weiman struck out seven in the 1:00 game against the Fusion, while allowing just a first-inning, leadoff single to Christina Sykora. Weiman pitched to the minimum number of batters in the five-inning decision, as no other batters reached base and Sykora was caught trying to steal second by Brakettes' catcher Shannon Doepking.

Stratford lost the pre-game coin toss before each matchup, so the Brakettes were the visitors in both tilts.

The Brakettes scored 10 of their 12 runs in the first game with two outs, starting with a lone tally in the top of the first inning. Denise Denis walked with two away and stole second, then scored the matchup's first run on a bloop single to left by Steffi Call.

Christina Sykora added a web gem in centerfield in the top of the second, as she robbed Doepking of a would-be extra-base hit with a fully-outstretched diving catch of a sinking line drive.

After the next batter was retired, the Brakettes plated four more two-out runs. Amber Radomski started the rally with a single, and took second on a wild pitch.

Britt Lampert followed and smashed her first home run as a Brakette out to right field, giving Stratford a 3-0 lead.

Kate Bowen walked and advanced three times on wild pitches, allowing her to march home with the team⤙s fourth run. Ashley Waters also earned a base on balls, and hurried to third when Denis reached on an error. Call capped off the scoring in the frame with an RBI single to push the margin to 5-0.

Doepking doubled to left field with one out in the third inning and moved to third on a single by Becca Carden, who took off for second on the throw back to the infield. As Carden slid in safely at second base under the tag, Doepking raced home to make it 6-0.

Bowen helped to stretch the lead again with a leadoff single in the fourth. The ball was misplayed in left field, allowing Bowen to reach second on the play. Bowen moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sac fly by Waters for a 7-0 lead.

The two-out magic continued in the fifth, as Amber Radomski drilled her second home run of the year to center. The long ball made it 8-0, but the Brakettes were not done yet.

Lampert doubled to right field and scored on a base hit by Bowen, putting Stratford up 9-0. Waters reached on a single, which advanced Bowen. Two more wild pitches let Bowen score the tenth run and moved Waters to third. Denis followed and reached on an error, which scored Waters for an 11-0 tally. After Call reached first on a walk, Elise Fortier delivered a single to right field to score Denis, closing out the scoring at 12-0.

Weiman pitched another 1-2-3 inning to close out the decision and earn her seventh win of the year. She also started the late game against the Lyons Spirit, again receiving all the run support she would need in the first inning.

Spirit starting pitcher Fran Carrullo went the distance, only getting into trouble in the first, when the Brakettes scored all three of their runs.

Waters started things off in the top of the first with a one-out single. Denis followed and doubled, sending Waters to third.

Carrullo let Waters score the game's first run on a wild pitch, one of her few mistakes on the night. Denis advanced to third on the play, and Call walked to put runners on the corners.

Elise Fortier singled to right field to score Denis for a 2-0 lead, while Call moved to third on the play. Mandie Fishback followed on contributed a sac fly to score Call, giving the Brakettes a 3-0 advantage.

The 3-0 score would hold for the remainder of the game, as Weiman and Carrullo traded scoreless innings.

Weiman struck out 11 batters in seven innings, while giving up just two walks and the one hit. She improved to 8-0 on the season with the win.

Carrullo scattered seven hits and struck out two Brakettes, while only giving up one walk.

Denis finished 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch her second two-bagger into a triple. Fortier also had two hits, while Fishback and Mariel Schlaefer added base hits later in the game.

The only safety for the ladies of Lyons was a leadoff, bloop single in the third-inning by Danielle Thacker.

Due to the suspension of pool play on Friday morning because of rain, all seedings for double-elimination bracket play will be based on the two games played on Thursday. All eight teams played exactly two games in the tournament's first day of pool play.

Based on the pool play results, the Brakettes are the top seed in Pool A with a 2-0 record. The Lyons (PA) Spirit ended pool play in second place with a 1-1 record. The Stratford Diamonds also finished with a 1-1 record, but are seeded third based on the head-to-head, 3-0 loss to the Spirit. The Fusion wrapped up pool play with an 0-2 record and will be the fourth seed from Pool A.

The CT Charmers concluded pool play with a 2-0 record and will be the top seed from Pool B. The Stratford Seahawks were also 2-0, but claimed the #2 seed, as they did not play the Charmers head-to-head and gave up more runs. The Mass Pride and Stratford Breakers were both 0-2 in Pool B, but the Pride will be the #3 seed, having allowed fewer runs. The Breakers are seeded fourth in Pool B.

The Brakettes will return to action on Friday night at 7:00 against the Stratford Breakers in the Winners Bracket Quarterfinals.

The other WMS Winners Bracket Quarterfinal matchups in the Friday evening session will be the Lyons (PA) Spirit vs. the Mass Pride at 4:00, the CT Charmers vs. the Jersey Fusion at 5:30 and the Stratford Seahawks vs. the Stratford Diamonds at 8:30.

All of Friday's games will be played at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford, CT, and will be live video webcast on brakettes.com.