Brakettes Take Two from Maryland Chill

June 25 - By Connor Pignatello - Rebecca Johnson reached base seven times and the Stratford Brakettes beat the Maryland Chill in both games of tonight’s doubleheader, 16-0 and 13-2. Both games ended after five innings.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Brakettes jumped on Chill pitcher Kelli Durbin early. Despite just one extra base hit, Stratford scored ten runs in the first frame and sent sixteen batters to the plate. After just one third of an inning, Durbin was replaced by Jenna Leydecker. Stratford continued to excel at the plate despite the pitching change and put up five more runs in the fourth inning.

Kaitlyn Flood went 4-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

“I was trying to keep my hands inside the ball and not pull out -- let the ball get in a little more,” Flood said.

Flood was one of five Brakettes to reach base in every at-bat. The Brakettes totaled 19 hits.

Sydney Senerchia allowed just two hits in five innings of work. She struck out nine, including a streak of five in a row between the second and third innings.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Stratford started strong again. Unlike the first game, where the Brakettes slowly advanced runners with singles and walks, Stratford scored all three of its runs in the first frame off a Briana Marcelino home run. The Brakettes tacked on five more runs in the second inning and forced the Chill to go to their bullpen early yet again, this time bringing on Carly Martin. Martin did not fare much better and threw three wild pitches which resulted in runs.

The Chill secured their only runs of the night on a two-run home run by Abby Weirich in the fourth inning.

In five innings, Brakettes pitcher Kaysee Talcik allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four.

Between the two games, every Brakette recorded a hit. Johnson and Gillian Birk totalled four hits while Flood registered five.

Tomorrow morning, the Brakettes host the fourth annual Joan Joyce Pitch and Putt golf tournament. In the evening, the Brakettes, Junior Brakettes, and Maryland Chill play in a triple-header starting at 5.