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Juniors Ready for 2024, Brakettes Opener
June 1 - The Junior Brakettes hope to start the 2024 season much like they did in 2023, with an Opening Night win against the 12-time Women's Major Softball champion Stratford Brakettes. The two squads will meet on Saturday, June 1st for a 7:00 p.m. doubleheader at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford, CT to kick off both teams' 2024 campaigns.
While the Juniors could not follow up the early success against their senior counterparts, dropping the last six games of the 2023 season series, they pushed the Brakettes along the way and helped fill out their eventual WMS roster. Two of those games were one-run defeats, including the season-ending 5-4 loss to the Brakettes in the 2023 WMS Loser's Bracket semifinal.
Juniors Manager Mary (Sciglimpaglia) Brainard and Coach Rob Sciglimpaglia believe their team was designed to do just that. As they have often pointed out since the Junior Brakettes' formation in 2019, the team was created to provide solid competition and an identifiable local talent pool for the Brakettes, and they have clearly done that and then some.
The 2023 Juniors finished 14-15 overall, including a 1-6 mark against the Brakettes, who finished 3rd in the WMS. Along with losses to the eventual WMS Champion Central Jersey Lightning and WMS Runner-Up Stripes & Strikes (PA), the Juniors notched a strong 13-7 record against all other teams outside the top 3.
Brainard recently summed up her expectations for the Juniors' season. “We have a strong mix of returning players with plenty of new talent joining the squad in 2024. No matter how the season unfolds, we have no doubt they will continue to uphold the Brakettes' values and team culture and build on the tradition.”
One of the most versatile returnees is Karissa Spring (Manhattan College), who batted .512 in 15 games for the Juniors in 2023, while tying for the team lead in doubles (six) and RBI (18). Spring also pitched in nine games for the Juniors, finishing 3-3 and striking out 31 in 31.2 innings.
Lauren Wasikowski (URI) will return for the Juniors and hopes to build on her 5-3 mark from last year. She led the team in innings pitched (55.1), strikeouts (65) and ERA (3.04) in 2023. Lauren also appeared in 10 games for the Stratford Brakettes in 2022, posting an 8-0 record with the big club.
Molly Lennon (Wesleyan University) enjoyed a strong rookie campaign with the Junior Brakettes last season, batting .393 with 17 RBI. Molly led the 2023 Junior Brakettes with 4 HRs, 33 hits, and 28 runs. Lennon brings her powerful swing back to Brainard's lineup after her sophomore year with the Wesleyan Cardinals. She holds a .320 average with 2 HRs and 30 RBI through her first two collegiate campaigns.
Emily Rerick (Husson University) is another two-way player for the Juniors, finishing with a 4-4 record in 15 pitching appearances (nine starts) in 2023, and a .438 batting average with 1 HR and 7 RBI in limited action at the plate. She has an 8-3 record with a 2.72 ERA in two seasons at Husson.
Cat Palmer (Wesleyan University) looks to put up another strong offensive season with the Juniors, following a .315 average with 3 doubles, 13 RBI, and 11 runs scored in 2023. She has notched 39 hits, eight doubles and 21 RBI through her sophomore season at Wesleyan.
Morgan Tainter (Husson University) smashed six doubles, a triple, and a home run in her rookie season with the Juniors. She batted .282 and contributed 18 RBI (tied for team-lead) and scored 13 runs. Tainter also shined behind home plate in four games for the 2023 Stratford Brakettes, batting .273 with the big club. Morgan has a .298 average in two seasons at Husson, with 2 HRs and 13 RBI.
Ava Slavinsky (Nichols College) has enjoyed two strong seasons at Nichols, where she has posted a .328 mark at the plate, with 89 hits in 81 career games. She has driven in 27 and scored 45 runs. In her first season with the Juniors in 2023, Ava picked up 16 hits and scored 15 runs, with 8 RBI.
Sarah Falcone (Springfield College) will also return for a second year with the Juniors. Sarah put up 15 hits, including three doubles, for the Junior squad in 2023. She scored 15 runs and drove in 7 last season.
Kara Sciglimpaglia, who had a three-game cameo in 2022 for the Juniors, will return for her first full season with the club.
Top newcomers to the Junior Brakettes include Nicolina Salanto (Western New England), Lucia Ceccarelli (University of New Haven), Jill Guilfoyle (St. Joseph H.S. '24 - commit to URI), Mackenzie Blair (Minnechaug Regional H.S. '24), Angelina Cross (Minnechaug Regional H.S. '25), and Becca Sexton (Trumbull H.S. '24). Aaliyah Amidon (University of New Haven) is currently on the injured list for the 2024 Juniors.
All 2024 Junior Brakettes games will be live video webcast at www.brakettes.com.
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