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Brakettes Dominate Debs en route to Battle of the Sexes IV
 July 23 - by Ilan Woll - With the Brakettes continuing a long weekend of softball the day before the fourth annual matchup with the Bridgeport Bluefish, the team looked forward to the challenge of a Dutchess Debs team that had finished third in last year's Women's Major Softball championships.
Brandice Balschmiter took the circle against Abby Canning in the opener. Alyssa O'Neill started the game off with an infield hit. However, Balschmiter was able to finish the threat quickly. Stratford also had the leadoff hitter reach, with Val Suto slashing a single to left, then reaching second on a sacrifice by Britt Lampert, and scoring on a throwing error later in the inning.
The Brakettes opened the game in the third with Gabby Laccona singling to right. Noel Lent's bunt advanced the runner, with Laccona scoring on a Casey Harding liner to centerfield. A single up the middle by Amber Radomski then scored her. Further singles by Suto, Lampert, and Jolie Duffner produced two more runs for the early five run lead.
There was an additional threat in the fourth as Lent singled and Harding walked. Returning Brakette Tatum Buckley was then intentionally walked with two outs, but good infield work by the Debs prevented a run.
Stratford added more runs in the fifth. Suto led off the inning legging out an infield single, and Lampert walked. Duffner then smashed a line drive to the wall to score both runners and leave the Brakettes on the precipice of a run-rule victory, which was crossed in the fifth as Harding and Buckley singled. Radomski then drove a grounder up the middle to score the final run by Harding.
Brandice Balschmiter finished the game with a three-hit shutout for her ninth win of the year, striking out nine hitters. The Brakettes had thirteen hits, with only one extra base swing, a double by Jolie Duffner. Val Suto had three hits on the game. Duffner, Casey Harding, and Amber Radomski each had multi-hit games for the Brakettes, and Alyssa O'Neill added two for the Debs.
For game 2 Carly Bilchak faced off against Abby Abramson.
With the top of the first being unremarkable except for a batter's interference call, the Brakettes batted around in the first inning, as Britt Lampert hit a ground rule double to left center. Following a Jolie Duffner walk, Lauren Pitney demolished a pitch to deep center for her fifth home run of the year. Casey Harding then walked, and Noel Lent followed Pitney's lead with her second home run, this a line drive over the left field fence. Gabby Laccona then singled with two out, and Hannah Cooper walked. Tatum Buckley then doubled, scoring Laccona for the RBI and an early six run lead.
Abramson then faced a challenge in the second as Leanna Feerick's infield hit was followed by a walk to Amber Mianti. Abramson then struck out the last batter to end the inning. Stratford, conversely, plated seven in the bottom half off reliever Rebecca Canning, with the big hit being a grand slam by Kaysee Talcik, her third homer of the weekend in only twelve at bats. RBI hits by Tatum Buckley and Val Suto finished off the inning to give the Brakettes seven in the frame for the 13-0 lead.
Following the Debs being retired in order in the top of the third, the Debs manager ceded the game to the Brakettes for the truncated victory. Abby Abramson allowed only one hit and one walk to improve to 5-0 on the year. Gabby Laccona and Tatum Buckley both had multi-hit games. Additionally, Lauren Pitney and Kaysee Talcik homered in each of this weekend's double headers.
The Brakettes return to play Sunday in their annual exhibition against the Bridgeport Bluefish professional baseball team in the fourth Battle of the Sexes at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. The game will be broadcast on Brakettes.com.
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| Saturday night, July 22nd vs. Dutchess Debs |
| First Game, 7:00 PM |
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Second Game |
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1 |
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3 |
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4 |
5 |
6 |
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7 |
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| DUTCHESS DEBS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
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0 |
3 |
3 |
| BRAKETTES |
1 |
4 |
0 |
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2 |
1 |
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8 |
13 |
1 |
| Batteries: Debs- Abby Canning (L) and Jackie Macak; Brakettes- Brandice Balschmiter (W, 9-1) and Hannah Cooper |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
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4 |
5 |
6 |
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7 |
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| DUTCHESS DEBS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
1 |
1 |
| BRAKETTES |
6 |
7 |
x |
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13 |
10 |
0 |
Batteries: Debs- Carly Bilchak (L), Rebecca Canning (2) and Jackie Macak; Brakettes- Abby Abramson (W, 5-0) and Hannah Cooper
Homerun: Lauren Pitney (5), Noel Lent (2), Kaysee Talcik (3) |
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