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FOUR NEW BRAKETTES, ONE FORMER PLAYER JOIN ROSTER; TEAM USA SHOWDOWN HIGHLIGHTS 2000 SCHEDULE
The 23-time women's national ASA champion Brakettes have added a few fresh faces but also return some familiar names as a part of their 2000 roster. Four newcomers, ten returnees from a year ago and a local player from the 1997 and 1998 teams combine to make up the 2000 Brakettes.
"We feel our team has a good mix of experienced and younger players who will develop excellent chemistry and a winning attitude," said Brakettes Manager John Stratton, who begins his 23rd season with the Brakettes. "Our additions have allowed us to strengthen the team from pitching, offensive, and defensive standpoints, while our returning players will contribute stability and consistency."
The four newest additions to the Brakettes are pitcher Nicole Terpstra from Highland, Indiana, catcher Amber Burgess from Uttleton, Colorado, catcher/infielder Germaine Fairchild from Boulder, Colorado, and outfielder Kellie Wilkerson from Jacksonville, Florida.
Terpstra, a 1999 graduate of DePaul University, set every career DePaul pitching record in her four years on her way to a record of 93-23 with a 0.98 ERA. Burgess, who just completed her freshman year at the University of Nebraska where she threw out 53% of opposing base stealers (16-30), was an all-conference selection for four years while playing for Columbine High School in Uttleton. Fairchild, a versatile player who attended the University of Tulsa, has previously spent time in the Women's Professional Softball League with the Virginia Roadsters. Wilkerson, who just finished her sophomore season at Mississippi State, hit .446 (74-166) with 7 HR and 41 RBI for the Bulldogs this season and has led the team in batting average, home runs and RBI in each of her first two years.
The pitching staff welcomes back three faces from a year ago in Jen Huyett, Robyn King and Jennifer Smith. Huyett, a resident of Hamden, is the team's veteran pitcher, beginning her fifth season with the Brakettes. She led the team in both wins (17) and ERA (0.17) last year and has a record of 41-2 dating back to the 1997 season. King, in her second season with the team, comes off arguably her best collegiate season in her junior year at Boston University. She was 15-3 with a 1.03 ERA, while hitting a team best .346 (45-130) with 8 HR and 25 RBI. Smith, about to begin her third season with the Brakettes, completed her senior year at Hofstra this spring with a career pitching mark of 77-43 and a .348 (227-652) average.
The infield features three returnees from a year ago in first baseman Kim Gutridge, second baseman Emily Robustelli and shortstop Ellen "Frankie" Spruce, along with a familiar face from the 1997 and 1998 teams, Jessica Yanosy. Gutridge, who set team records for home runs and RBI in her collegiate career with UMass, returns for her second season with the Brakettes. Robustelli, a resident of Stamford and a 1999 graduate of Trinity Catholic High School, finished second on the 1999 Brakettes with a .325 (54-166) average. Spruce, a steady and consistent fielder, has a career average of .302 (145-480) in her first three seasons with the team. Yanosy, a resident of Milford and a standout for the 1997 and 1998 Brakettes, has completed her junior season at UConn where she won first team all-Big East honors and led the team in batting average (.333), hits (63), total bases (71) and runs scored (34).
Along with newcomer Wilkerson, the outfield features three returnees with Kristin MacLean, Donna McLean and Alicia Smith. MacLean, a speedy, defensive-minded outfielder, has hit .285 (137-480) over her first four seasons. McLean, a resident of Stratford, has the longest tenure of any player on the Brakettes roster as she enters her eighth year in the outfield. Smith, a graduate of Hofstra University this spring, will look to build upon the momentum of a successful senior season which saw her hit a career high .405 (68-168) with 4 HR and 37 RBI.
The catching core consists of newcomers Burgess and Fairchild, along with returnee Keri McCallum. McCallum, a left-handed hitting and throwing catcher who also plays the outfield, has won the Brakettes batting title in each of her first two seasons (.391, 1998 and .370, 1999).
The 2000 Brakettes schedule begins on Saturday, June 3, with a doubleheader against the Allentown Pates, (PA) at 7:00 p.m. at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford. The opening home weekend concludes with a doubleheader on Sunday, June 4, against the Hopewell Junction BATS., (NY) at 4:00 p.m.
Fifteen home doubleheaders highlight the Brakettes season, most notably the games against the U.S. Olympic Team on Friday, June 30, at 7:00 p.m. Team USA will play the Brakettes as part of its pre-Olympic tour. Five former Brakettes, Lisa Fernandez, Dot Richardson, Sheila (Cornell) Douty, Lori Harrigan and Danielle Henderson are on the roster which will compete for the gold medal this summer in Sydney, Australia. The manager for Team USA, Ralph Raymond, is also the former manager of the Brakettes. Raymond led the Stratford-based team to 1,962 victories, 17 National titles and three World Championships during his tenure.
Other home games include a doubleheader against the Ohio Pride of the Women's Professional Softball League on Sunday, July 2, and a pair of doubleheaders against the South Florida Sugar Canes on Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24. The Brakettes will also play the Connecticut Classics twice at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. The first meeting will be on Wednesday, July 5, and the second on Saturday, July 29.
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