Sunday
Stellar Pitching Leads Brakettes to Doubleheader Sweep Over Concord Raiders

July 11 - By Connor Pignatello - The Stratford Brakettes swept the Concord (MA) Raiders 5-1 and 6-0 in a doubleheader this evening.

In the first game, the Brakettes jumped on Raiders’ starter Natalie Horton in the first inning. Right fielder Jessica Burlingame and designated player Briana Marcelino recorded back-to-back singles before Jana Sanden drove Burlingame home with a groundout.

After the Raiders tied the score in the top of the second, Kristen Acocella singled in Katie Sciglimpaglia to give the Brakettes a 2-1 advantage. In the bottom of the third, the Brakettes added three more runs to their lead. After Burlingame singled to lead off the inning, Marcelino reached on an error, and Jana Sanden and Kaitlyn Flood each added singles.

In her second outing for the Brakettes after being called up for last night’s game, pitcher Sam Schiebe allowed just one run on six hits. She pitched a two-hit shutout yesterday against the Massachusetts Drifters.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Brakettes exploded late for a 6-1 win thanks to home runs by Briana Marcelino and Jana Sanden.

Marcelino jumped on the first pitch of the fourth inning and drove it well past the fence in left-center field for the Brakettes’ first run of the night.

“She didn’t throw me inside most of the game and I was just looking inside,” said Marcelino.

Raiders pitcher Kya Birtz pitched the first five innings of the game and allowed just three hits and a walk. The only run she allowed was Marcelino’s solo home run.

But once the Raiders went to the bullpen, the Brakettes capitalized. Anna Tassone did not record an out and allowed all five of the batters she faced to reach base and score. After the Brakettes loaded the bases with no outs, Marcelino drove in two runs with a single.

“I was trying to take a good swing at good pitches and not try to do too much -- especially with the bases loaded,” said Marcelino. “I was sitting in on that too.”

Jana Sanden cleared the bases with a three-run homer in the next at bat.

Between three innings from Sarah Lawton and four perfect innings of relief from Ali DuBois, Stratford pitched its third shutout in four games. Only three Raiders reached base and none made it past second. Lawton and DuBois combined for 12 strikeouts.

The Brakettes are back in action on Wednesday with a seven o’clock doubleheader against the Stripes and Strikes.