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Brakettes Fall to Nook in Winner's Bracket Semis
 Aug 13 - The Stratford Brakettes were beaten 2-1 by the Nook 23 Gold (PA) on Saturday in the 2017 WMS National Championship Winner's Bracket Semifinals. The loss marked the first time since the inaugural 2009 WMS that the Brakettes failed to advance to the Winner's Bracket Final.
Brit Hook struck out six batters to earn the complete-game decision, besting the Brakettes' Brandice Balschmiter in an old-fashioned pitchers' duel. She scattered seven hits along the way.
Balschmiter (14-2) struck out seven and surrendered just three hits, and allowed only two unearned runs in defeat.
The Brakettes and Nook 23 Gold were scoreless into the fourth inning of the contest, but the Nook had plenty of early chances. While the Brakettes were no-hit by Hook over the first three frames, the Nook advanced runners to second base in each of those stanzas.
Taylor Sweight walked and stole a base with two outs in the home first, and Halle Kisamore was hit by a pitch. Balschmiter struck out the next batter and kept the Nook off the scoreboard.
Hannah Garber walked with one out in the second inning and stole second base, but two more strikeouts by Balschmiter retired the side.
Kayla Hall started the bottom of the third for the Nook with an infield single, and moved up on a bunt single by Bri Garber with one out. The Nook baserunners then attempted a double steal, but Stratford catcher Hannah Cooper fired to third and threw out Hall for the second out. Garber cruised into second on the play, but Balschmiter again got a strikeout to close out the threat.
The Brakettes finally got their first hit and broke the scoreless stalemate in the top of the third, after Brittany Younan tripled to the fence in right-center with one away. Denise Denis followed and lofted a sac fly to left to drive in Younan, giving the Brakettes a 1-0 edge.
After going down in order in the fourth, the Nook scored two runs with two outs in the fifth inning to take the lead.
Lauren Lichtenwalner drew a base on balls with one out in the fifth. Lichtenwalner moved to second on a single to center by Brit Hook, and both runners moved up a bag when Kayla Hall grounded out to first. With two outs and two in scoring position, Alyssa Lawton grounded to short. The throw to first sailed wide right of the bag, allowing both runners to scamper home for a 2-1 Nook 23 Gold lead.
Balschmiter induced a grounder from the next batter to close the fifth and retired the side in order in the sixth to give the Brakettes a chance to battle back.
The Brakettes had opportunities in the sixth and seventh innings, but ran themselves out of both frames.
Val Suto singled up the middle with one out in the sixth and stole second base. Younan came up next and also singled to center, and Suto was sent home on the play. The throw from centerfielder Hall was caught up the third base line, and a quick tag was applied by Nook catcher Halle Kisamore, leaving Suto out at the plate. Younan advanced to second on the throw, but was stranded there on a popup to end the inning.
The last chance for the Brakettes came in the top of the seventh, with Lauren Pitney launching a double down the line in right with one out. Gabby Laccona came on to run for Pitney and advanced to third on an infield single by pinch-hitter Tatum Buckley. The hard-hit ball kicked away from the third baseman, and after taking a wide turn at third, Laccona was eventually tagged out in a rundown.
The Brakettes dropped into the Loser's Bracket with the disappointing loss, as the Nook advanced to take on the St. Louis Saints in the Winner's Bracket Final.
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WMS Tournament, Bracket Game 9
2:30 PM Saturday, Aug 12th
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Records: Brakettes 40-4-1
Batteries: Brakettes- Brandice Balschmiter (L, 14-2) and Hannah Cooper; Nook Gold- Brit Hook (W) and Halle Kisamore |
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