|
|
Thursday Night
Brakettes Split Doubleheader as Denis Makes History
 June 22 - Denise Denis crushed three home runs in the late game Thursday night at DeLuca Field, helping the Stratford Brakettes salvage a doubleheader split with the Connecticut Eliminators 23U. The Eliminators took the first game 3-0, before the Brakettes stormed back with a 12-1 rout.
Eliminators starter Kristi Van Meter limited the Brakettes to four hits in the game one upset, as she struck out ten batters and threw a complete-game shutout. The Brakettes put four runners in scoring position over the final three innings, but Van Meter got big outs when she needed them to secure the decision.
Jolie Duffner and Gabby Laccona both doubled in the contest for Stratford, while Laccona also earned two of the four walks issued by Van Meter. However, the Brakettes failed to find the timely hit they desperately needed.
The Eliminators took the early lead with a run in the first, thanks in part to a pair of Brakette defensive miscues.
Ashley Landolina blooped a single to left to start the rally with one out. Maria Moccio followed and reached on a fielding error, putting two on. Julie Slavin then roped a single up the middle to load the bases. Michelle Theilgard came up and grounded to first base, and the throw home for the attempted force sailed wide of the plate, allowing Landolina to score. The run gave Connecticut an early 1-0 edge.
Landolina gave Van Meter more breathing room in the top of the third, as she led off with a solo shot to left field. The blast stretched the Eliminators' lead to 2-0.
Slavin helped Connecticut build another run in the sixth with a leadoff base hit to center. A groundout sent Slavin to second, giving the Eliminators a runner in scoring position with one out. Kat Stackrow dropped a bunt and reached when the throw got away, which plated Slavin for a 3-0 tally.
The Brakettes could not recover from the deficit, and were shut out for the second time this season.
Stratford wasted no time in finding some redemption in the nightcap, as the home favorites jumped up 4-0 in the first inning.
Denise Denis launched her second homer of the year from the #2 spot in the lineup, giving the Brakettes a 1-0 margin. Denis had been firmly entrenched in the #3 spot for nearly a decade, so the move up the order was notable… and it seemed to have worked.
The Brakettes' all-time home run leader responded with three home runs in her only three at bats, after missing game one due to professional responsibilities. Denis now has 122 career long balls after Saturday's trifecta.
After the home run by Denis, the Brakettes went back to small ball to add to the lead.
Duffner and Briana Marcelino singled to put two on with one out, and Lauren Pitney delivered a single up the middle to score Duffner for a 2-0 lead. A groundout to first pushed Marcelino and Pitney up a bag, and a bloop single by Sam Rodriguez to center scored both baserunners for a 4-0 tally.
Stratford kept the foot on the gas in the second and blew the game wide open with six quick runs.
Mackenzie Macchiarulo and Val Suto beat out bunt singles to start the rally, and a wild pitch placed them both in scoring position. Denis clobbered her second homer of the matchup over the fence in center, giving the Brakettes a 7-0 advantage.
Duffner continued the rally with a single, her third hit of the night. A one-out walk by Pitney put two on, and Alex Heinen lined a single to right to bring Duffner home for an eight-run lead. With runners at the corners, Rodriguez placed a single in no man's land in shallow right, sending Pitney home for a 9-0 score. A passed ball moved both runners up a base, and Megan Hodgdon earned a walk to load them up again. Heather Holly drove Heinen in with a sac fly to right field, and the tally made it a 10-0 game.
Denis again grew the lead with a solo blast in the third, tying the Brakettes' single-game home run mark. Unfortunately for the Eliminators, the Brakettes were still not done. Marcelino singled and moved up on a walk by Pitney, then scored the game's final run on a double by Heinen.
Kaysee Talcik earned the victory for the Brakettes in the late slate, as she fanned seven batters in five innings of work. She came within one out of a run rule-shortened no-hitter, but Elizabeth Lombardo singled to right to break it up. Talcik retired the next batter to close out the win and improve to 2-0 for the year.
The Brakettes will take on the Connecticut Eliminators Alumnae team on Friday night in a 7:00 doubleheader at DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. All 2018 Brakettes games are live video webcast at www.brakettes.com.
|
Thursday, June 21st vs. CT Eliminators
|
| First Game, 7:00 PM |
|
Second Game |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
7 |
|
|
R |
H |
E |
| CT ELIMINATORS |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
|
|
3 |
9 |
0 |
| BRAKETTES |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
|
|
0 |
4 |
4 |
Batteries: Eliminators- Kristi Van Meter (W) and Madeira Alexandra; Brakettes- Ali DuBois (L, 3-1) and Sam Rodriguez
Homerun: Eliminators- Ashley Landolina |
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
7 |
|
|
R |
H |
E |
| CT ELIMINATORS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
| BRAKETTES |
4 |
6 |
2 |
|
0 |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
12 |
15 |
2 |
Batteries: Eliminators- Hartman (L) and Theilgard; Brakettes- Kaysee Talcik (W, 2-0) and Megan Hodgdon
Homerun: Denise Denis 3 (4) |
|
|
