|
|
BRAKETTES OPEN 76TH SEASON FRIDAY NIGHT VS JUNIOR BRAKETTES AT DELUCA FIELD
 June 2 - The 'new look' Stratford Brakettes open their 76th season of women's major fastpitch competition Friday night at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in a 7 o'clock doubleheader. Providing the opposition will be one of their organization's stablemates, the Junior Brakettes.
Ironically, the last time the teams met the Junior Brakettes (30-14) defeated Stratford, 3-2, to win the championship of the Caroline Farley Invitational tournament in Concord, NH, July 25, 2021.
Coming off their fourth straight Women's Major Softball National Championship, and 39th title overall since 1947, the Brakettes are missing 10 players from last year's 41-2 roster. However, they have replenished their roster by moving five players up from the Junior Brakettes and two from the Select 18U Brakettes, while adding another pitcher.
In addition to Friday's action, the Brakettes will play Diamond Zone of Branford in a doubleheader Saturday at 7 p.m. before the Junior Brakettes and Stratford Brakettes meet again Sunday at 5 p.m. in another twin-bill.
Gates to DeLuca Field open at 6 p.m. with admission prices remaining at the same level for the 15th consecutive season. General admission, first and third base bleachers, is $5, while reserved seats with back rests at $6 and box seats $8. Season ticket passes, good for all home games by the three teams, are also on sale. The doubleheader will be video webcast on www.brakettes.com.
Manager John Stratton is back for his 30th year at the helm and he brings a career 1,450-138 record along with 16 national championships to his credit. His son Jay Stratton and Cheshire's Kristine Botto Drust are back as assistants.
Stratton must find a way to replace the likes of four-year UConn standout shortstop Briana Marcelino (.495 career batting average with 34 home runs and 154 RBI), leadoff hitter and center fielder Val Suto, a seven-year veteran who hit .472 with a career record 112 stolen bases in 117 attempts, and middle infielder Lauren Rende, who hit .430 with nine home runs and 45 RBI in her rookie year in 2021. Marcelino recently decided to retire after her UConn season, while Suto (recovering from ACL surgery) and Rende (awaiting arm surgery) are on the injured list.
Recent college grads Gillian Birk (.330) of Trinity College and Westport, Emma Larke (.311) of Shelton and Maine, Rebecca Findley (.310) of Seymour and Maine, Rebecca Johnson (.593) of Seymour and Colgate, and Redding's Kristen Acocella (.284), a grad student at Springfield, all retired. They will be honored in a pre- game ceremony along with the organization's 2021 batting champions from the three teams.
The Brakettes return plenty of offensive firepower, but their key to success remains the pitching staff where aces Ali DuBois (15-0, 0.07 ERA and 171 strikeouts) and Sarah Lawton (17-2, 0.68 ERA and182 strikeouts) are simply outstanding. DuBois, a Boston University grad, is taking a COVID-19 transfer year at Florida State in 2023, while Waterbury's Lawton, a graduate student at Sacred Heart, is a former Florida Gulf Coast All-America. Added to the staff is Lauryn Rhinehart, a grad school pitcher at Fairfield University, who will be the 2023 Stags pitching coach.
Flood (.505, 27 RBI), Norwalk and St. Peter's infielder Katie Sciglimpaglia (.373, 30 RBI), UConn second baseman Jana Sanden of Riverton (.342, seven home runs, 38 RBI), and catcher/DH Chach Horton (.340) are the other returning players.
Trumbull High all-state Cassie Barbato, now at Radford, Masuk High and University of Bridgeport standout centerfielder Meg McFarland, first baseman/DH Claire McCann of Barlow/Holy Cross, Cheshire's utility player Aliya Catanzarita of Hofstra, and Easton's Aby Ota (USF) were promoted from the Junior Brakettes. Former Notre Dame all-stater Mac Stone-Folmar, now the shortstop at Barry University, and outfielder Sarah Rende of Arsdley High School, NY, and Binghamton University, are the other newcomers.
Mary Sciglimpaglia Brainard, a former Norwalk High and Brakettes standout catcher, returns for her fourth year as the Junior Brakettes manager, assisted by her dad Rob. Kiana Robinson of UB, Kailey Carrano of West Haven/Western New England, and Springfield's Dana Serrichio of Stamford are the top offensive returnees, while pitcher Sophia DiCocco of Bozrah and Tufts, the Junior's all-time wins leader, won't join the club until early July as she is on an internship in Italy. Olivia Vadas of Sacred Heart also returns to pitch, while St. Joseph High senior all-state pitcher Lauren Wasikowski is a newcomer.
The Select 18U Brakettes, who open June 12, will be led by Amity/WPI standout Kelly Pritchard, Stamford/Washington University pitcher Jordan Rossi, and Amity/Wheaton College outfielder Juliette Zito. They will again be managed by Lauren Pitney and assisted by Jack Pritchard and Cassie Ruscz, a former three-year Stratford Brakette. The Select team finished their inaugural season with a 32-9-1 record and finished runner-up in the rain-shortened WMS National tournament.
|
|
