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2024 Brakettes Softball: The Year in Review
Jan 1, 2025 - The Stratford Brakettes closed out their 2024 season with a 27-3 record and a runner-up finish in the 16th Annual Women's Major Softball (WMS) National Championship. Persistent rains cut the title game short with the Brakettes trailing the defending champion Central Jersey Lightning, 3-0, in the third inning. The Lightning also defeated the Brakettes 4-1 the day before in the Winner's Bracket semifinals and were the only undefeated team remaining in the tournament.
The Stratford Brakettes also advanced to the Championship Game of the Arlan Schwoyer Honorary Tournament in Lyons, PA on June 23rd. The Brakettes spun off four straight wins in two days against teams from Pennsylvania and Maryland to reach the final, but Team Virginia Mizuno captured the title with a hard-fought, 2-1 victory. The decision served as Stratford's only loss prior to the WMS.
The Junior Brakettes also enjoyed a strong showing at the WMS before they were eliminated on Sunday with an 8-2 loss to the Stratford Brakettes. The Juniors finished the tournament with a 2-2 record and a fourth-place finish.
Season Accolades
 Kaitlyn Flood and Katie Sciglimpaglia were the heart of the Brakettes offense and the only players to appear in all 30 games. The tandem battled for the 2024 Brakettes Batting title until the final day of the season, with Kaitlyn's strong finish in the WMS giving her the crown with a .427 mark.
Flood also launched four home runs (tied for team-high), while leading the Brakettes with 39 runs and 41 hits on the season. Sciglimpaglia closed the campaign with a .414 average, three homers, and a team-leading 33 RBI.
 Lindsay Hoag batted .415 for the season with five doubles, two triples, a homer and 17 RBI.
Kylie Bulinski shared the home run crown with Flood and Sam Rogers with four long balls. Bulinski batted .348 with two doubles and 17 RBI, plus a team-leading 15 walks.
Chelsea Villar batted .397 for the summer with three doubles, three triples, one home run, and 17 RBI.
Anna Gedacht led the Brakettes' pitching staff with a 12-0 record. She struck out 75 in 69.2 innings and posted a 1.61 ERA for the season. Kat Gallant finished 7-1 with a 1.08 ERA and struck out a whopping 121 batters in 65 innings.
Molly Lennon led the Junior Brakettes with three home runs, 17 RBI, and 20 runs scored. She also roped four doubles and a triple, while batting .373 for the season.
 Jill Guilfoyle posted a .562 mark with 29 hits in just 18 games, along with 15 RBI, 12 runs, and a team-high six doubles.
Lucia Ceccarelli led the Juniors with 32 hits in 2024, while posting four doubles, 15 RBI and scoring 12 runs. Morgan Tainter batted .364 with 24 hits, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Emily Rerick led the Juniors' pitching staff with a 5-3 mark, while striking out 38 in 40.2 innings.
Lauren Wasikowski led the team with 45 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched.
2024 WMS Awards
 Stratford Brakettes Kat Gallant and Sophia DiCocco made the WMS All-Tournament Team as pitchers, as did Chelsea Villar (Outfield), Kaitlyn Flood (Utility) and Katie Sciglimplaglia (Utility).
Sciglimpaglia also won the Allyson Rioux Award for Best Defensive Player of the WMS, while Villar won the Diane Schumacher Batting Champion Award with a .529 average for the tournament.
Jackie Pengel took home the 2024 Danni Kemp Sportsmanship Award for her comeback season, following a serious medical event the previous fall.
Four Junior Brakettes also captured WMS All-Tournament selections, with Morgan Tainter (Catcher), Jill Guilfoyle (First Base), Molly Lennon (Third Base), and Lucia Ceccarelli (Outfield) earning the honors.
In Memoriam
 The Brakettes would like to remember those we lost from our softball family in 2024, including one of the original Brakettes, Emilia “Midge” (Milowski) Burns. We also remember Mary Craig (1955 team), Gia Celularo (1989), former (Franklin) Cardinals sponsor George Franklin, and 99-year-old super fan and Adopt-A-Brakette sponsor Faith Buchino.
Midge Milowski played centerfield for the inaugural 1947 Raybestos All-Stars, which were officially renamed to the Raybestos Brakettes after the first season. Midge returned to Stratford to celebrate the franchise's 65th and 70th seasons, at the Brakettes' 2011 and 2016 Reunions, respectively. She passed away January 22nd in Trumbull, CT at the age of 98.
 Gia Celularo played for the 1989 Hi-Ho Brakettes after being named an All-American three times at Division III Allegheny College. Celularo won a gold medal with the Brakettes at the 1989 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival in Oklahoma City. Gia passed away in Massachusetts on February 7th at age 57 after a series of health challenges.
Mary Craig played on the 1955 Raybestos Brakettes, which won the New England Regional Championship for the third straight year. It was the sixth New England title overall for the Brakettes, who finished with a 31-4 record. Mary passed away on April 20th at age 93 in Iowa, where she played semi-pro softball after her time with the Brakettes.
 George Franklin picked up the sponsorship of the Raybestos Cardinals after the men's team's sponsorship was dropped following the 1979 season. Franklin sponsored the Cardinals from 1980 through 1984, after a long stint as sponsor of the Melrose (MA) Mets. Under his leadership, the Franklin Cardinals won the 1983 Men's ASA National Championship, their seventh overall. George passed away on December 11th at the age of 82.
 Faith Buchino lived just behind home plate at Raybestos Memorial Field with her husband John and daughter, Michelina. The Buchinos were regulars during the Brakettes' glory days at the original stadium, and Faith continued to support the team until her passing on December 16th. As an Adopt-A Brakettes sponsor, Faith threw out the first pitch before a Brakettes game each year up until 2023, and she was every player's favorite fan.
WMS Dates Set for 2025
The 17th Annual Women's Major Softball National Championship will be held July 31st - August 3rd, with the Stratford Brakettes hoping to capture their 13th WMS title and first since 2022. The Central Jersey Lightning will return to try to win a third straight championship, while Stripes & Strikes (PA) will also return in hopes of claiming their first title. Stripes & Strikes finished second in 2022 and 2023, while finishing third in 2024. The Junior Brakettes will also field a strong team looking to contend in the 2025 WMS, returning a solid core from last season. The Mid-Hudson Mustangs (NY) and several Connecticut teams will also return to compete in the 2025 WMS. See you July 31st…!
Brakettes Museum Update
The Brakettes have formed a Brakettes Museum Committee with the help of Tom Chiappetta (Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame and Youth Foundation), Ken Bruno (former Raybestos Cardinal and head of Boys and Girls Club of Bridgeport, CT), Bill O'Brien (Stratford Veterans Museum), and existing Brakettes Softball staff members.
While fundraising for a permanent Brakettes Museum structure is ongoing, DeLuca Field will serve as a living museum during games throughout the 2025 season, with pop-up exhibits to be displayed around the stadium.
If you would like to donate to the Brakettes Museum Fund…
Checks can be made out to:
Brakettes Museum Fund
185 Lordship Road
Stratford, CT 06615
Or pay with  @Brakettes-Inc (please specify Museum fund)
For more information on the Brakettes Museum and Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame, go to:
http://brakettes.com/museum.html
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