Brakettes Capture Fourth Straight WMS Title

August 11, 2013 - The Stratford Brakettes defeated the Connecticut Charmers 5-0 on Sunday at Frank DeLuca Field in Stratford, CT to win their fourth straight Women's Major Softball Championship. Denise Denis broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a two-run homer, and Elise Fortier added a two-run shot of her own in the fifth.

Emily Weiman (10-0) hurled a two-hitter to earn the win, striking out 12 and walking one in seven innings.

Weiman took a perfect game into the fifth inning before giving up a walk to Alyssa Rodia and a single to Taylor Luzzi. She got out of trouble with a ground-ball force at second and a pair of strikeouts. Nadia Kemp recorded the other base hit for the Charmers in the sixth.

The Brakettes threatened in the first inning, as Kate Bowen delivered a leadoff single. Steffi Call doubled with two outs to send Bowen to third, but Tatum Buckley got a strikeout to get out of the jam.

Jess Mouse doubled with two outs in the second, again putting pressure on the Charmers. Shortstop Taylor Luzzi responded with a web gem at short, fielding a grounder by Amber Radomski deep in the hole and firing to first to retire the side.

Denis also sported a stellar play in the field in the third, when she threw out Kamryn Geysen at first on a hard-hit one-hopper to right field to end the third inning.

Buckley kept the Brakettes off the boards until the third, when Bowen led off with a double. With one out, Denis drilled her 11th long ball of the year to put Stratford up 2-0.

It was the 77th career home run for Denis, who trails only National ASA Hall of Famer Pat Dufficy (91 homers) in Brakette history.

Steffi Call doubled for the second time after the blast, but was stranded there to end the inning.

Becca Carden reached on an error to start the fourth and was sacrificed over by Mouse, as the Brakettes tried to build on the lead. With two outs, Bowen worked a walk to put two runners on base. Buckley was again able to wiggle out of trouble by inducing a popup, but the Brakettes would strike again in the fifth.

Denis started the fifth frame with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Fortier, extending the margin to 4-0. It was the 23rd of the year for Fortier and clinched the Brakette home run title, as she edged out Call (22 homers) in a season-long battle that came down to the last day.

Radomski helped scratch an insurance run in the sixth, when she led off with a double to left. Britt Lampert pinch-ran for Radomski and moved to third when Bowen grounded out to the right side. Ashley Waters grounded out to third, but Lampert was able to scamper home on the throw for the fifth and final run.

Denis followed and added a double to give her three hits on the day, completing a strong title game in her ninth year with the club. Bowen and Call each had two hits for the Brakettes.

The Brakettes closed out their season with a perfect 68-0 record, the third time in franchise history that the feat has been accomplished. The 1971 team went 57-0 en route to the ASA National crown, while the 2011 Stratford Brakettes tallied a perfect 63-0 mark on the way to their second-straight WMS crown..

Steffi Call received the Micki Stratton Award, as the MVP of the 2013 WMS Championship.

Emily Weiman was recognized as the Most Outstanding Pitcher, for which she was given the Joan Joyce Award.

Denise Denis and Call each batted .500 in the tournament and shared the Diane Schumacher Award for the batting title.

Karen Bauer (Lyons Spirit) and Katie Petroski (Connecticut Charmers) shared the Pat Dufficy Award for the home run title of the tournament, each blasting two homers in double-elimination bracket play.

C.J. Semones (Stratford Seahawks) won the Allyson Rioux Award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player, as she played a superb left field and threw out three batters at the plate in bracket play.

Seven Brakettes were named to the All-WMS Team, with Steffi Call headlining the list at first base and Emily Weiman, one of three pitcher selections. Ashley Waters (second base), Elise Fortier (third base), Jess Mouse (catcher), Mandie Fishback (Utility) and Denise Denis (outfield) were also named to the squad.

Brittany Allocca (Connecticut Charmers) was the other selection at catcher, while Sydney Matzko (Connecticut Charmers) and Alyson Chiaramonte (Stratford Seahawks) were the other pitchers chosen.

Karen Bauer (Lyons Spirit) was the All-WMS Team pick at shortstop, along with teammate Elaine Bedell (centerfield).