2013 WMS Tournament

Brakettes Defeat Charmers 3-1 in Winners Bracket Final

Saturday, August 10, Game 11 - Emily Weiman of the Brakettes and the Charmers' Sydney Matzko went head-to-head in Saturday night's Winners Bracket Final, with a spot in the Championship Game at stake.

The Brakettes made sure to get ahead early in the matchup of the only unbeaten WMS squads, manufacturing a run with some small ball.

Bowen led off with a walk and moved up a base on a single by Waters. Denis sacrificed both runners up a base, putting two in scoring position. Call followed and earned a walk to load the bases with one out. Fortier came up next and grounded out to first base, but Bowen came home on the play for the game's first run.

The Brakettes added another tally in the home second, as Becca Carden reached on a leadoff single. She moved up to second base on a groundout by Mouse and went to third on a base hit by Lampert. Bowen brought Carden home on a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead, giving Weiman some more breathing room.

Weiman, who started a 1-2-3 double play to end the first inning and get out of a bases-loaded jam, retired the side in the second and third frames.

The Charmers had only a first-inning single by Nadia Kemp until the top of the fourth, when they would pick up two more safeties. Weiman allowed singles to Tatum Buckley and Taylor Luzzi, giving the Charmers runners on the corners with one out.

With Brittany Allocca at the plate, Buckley broke for home on a suicide squeeze, but Allocca couldn't get the bunt down. Brakette catcher Jess Mouse ran Buckley back to third, and seeing no one there to receive a throw, dove toward the retreating runner at the last second to tag Buckley on the foot for the second out (photo). Weiman then induced a grounder to get out of the inning.

The Brakettes extended the margin in the bottom of the fourth, when Mandie Fishback led off with a walk. Carden reached on an error, which pushed Fishback to second, and both runners moved up a bag on a sac bunt by Mouse.

With two outs and runners at second and third, Bowen delivered a single to drive in Fishback for a 3-0 lead. Bowen accounted in part for all three Brakette runs, as she scored the first and drove in the last two.

Katie Petroski brought the Charmers closer in the top of the fifth, as she blasted a solo shot to make it 3-1. It was the second home run of bracket play for Petroski. The Charmers had another chance in the inning, as Harleigh Kaczegowicz followed Petroski with a single. She was forced out at second on a fielder's choice by Kamryn Geysen, who raced to second on a throwing error after the Brakettes tried to turn two.

Kemp came up next and grounded to Fishback at short, who threw home to Mouse for the tag. Weiman struck out the next batter to close out the inning and preserve the 3-1 lead.

The Brakettes loaded the bases again in the fifth inning, but were not able to add to the lead.

Denis led off with a single and moved up when Fortier was hit by a pitch with one out. Fishback dropped a perfect bunt, which she beat out for a single. The play put Brakettes at every base, but Matzko picked a strikeout and a groundout to get out of trouble.

Weiman worked a perfect sixth, as did Matzko, setting the stage for a dramatic seventh inning.

The Charmers were down to their last ups, but Allocca gave them hope with a leadoff infield single. Weiman got the next two batters to pop out, before walking Geysen to put two on with two outs.

With the potential go-ahead run at the plate, Weiman struck out the last batter to secure the victory and a spot in the Championship.

The Brakettes will play on Sunday at 11 am in the Championship Game against the winner of the Losers Bracket Final, to be played Sunday at 9 am. The Lyons (PA) Spirit positioned themselves for a rematch with the Charmers in that contest, by virtue of the Spirit's run through the Losers Bracket on Saturday.