Brakettes Split Doubleheader With Philadelphia

July 12, 2007 - The Brakettes jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Force Thursday, en route to a 4-2 victory, before dropping the late game 4-3. Katie Burkhart made a successful debut for the Brakettes in the early contest, striking out six and scattering six hits.

In the first game, the Brakettes got on the board in the second inning, as Courtney Bures drilled a double to left field, and was moved into scoring position by Killian Roessner's sacrifice bunt. Whitney Mollica drilled a single to score Bures for the 1-0 Brakette lead. (Box Score and Play by Play)

Denise Denis smashed a one-out homer in the second, her fourth blast of the year, to put the Brakettes up 2-0. Mandie Fishback followed Denis with an infield single, then scored on a Bures single to right that went through Trena Peel's legs, allowing Bures to move to third. With a 3-0 lead, the Brakettes looked to add some insurance, and did just that. Roessner lofted a fly ball to center that was deep enough to plate Bures, bringing the Brakettes' lead to 4-0.

Chelsea Spencer brought the Force to within 4-1 with her fourth home run of the season, leading off the fourth. Kellie Wilkerson worked a one-hit walk, then advanced to second on a fielder's choice. She moved to third when Stacie Pestrak reached on an error, and then took home when Pestrak lured a throw to second base on a steal attempt. Burkhart retired Rocky Spencer to get out the inning, and the lead held at 4-2.

Chelsea Spencer doubled to lead off the Force sixth, and tried to score on Jenna Hall's single to left field. Beth Boden came up firing, and delivered a strike home which beat Spencer by a long shot. Roessner held on to the ball and tagged Spencer, who tried to avoid the tag by jumping over Roessner. Burkhart once again wiggled out of trouble, and retired the Force 1-2-3 in the seventh to secure the win.

Brandice Balschmiter threw the second game for the Brakettes, giving up eight hits and striking out five in six innings. She allowed two first inning runs to score on a lone wild pitch, as both Emily Friedman and Sharonda McDonald marched home to put the Force up 2-0. Friedman had led off the game with a single, before McDonald earned the only walk Balschmiter would allow. (Box Score and Play by Play)

The Brakettes pulled to within 2-1 in the top of the fifth, as Mollica led off with a single. Stephanie Hill sacrificed Mollica to second to put a runner in scoring position with one out. Mollica was then shaken up while trying to retreat to second on a pickoff attempt. She was pinch-run for by Boden, who soon after scored on a single by Allison Twarowski.

The Force came right back in the home fifth, as Philadelphia connected on four straight singles. Down 4-1, the outlook was bleak for the Brakettes, but they did not give up the fight. Bures lined a two-out single to right in the sixth, and Roessner sent one deep over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run, pulling the Brakettes to within 4-3.

Balschmiter worked out of a tough spot in the bottom of the sixth, as the Force had runners at first and second with no outs. Balschmiter struck out Clare Burnum swining, induced a weak grounder by Pestrak, and struck out Ashley Smith looking to keep the Brakettes alive.

With one last chance to pull even, Twarowski hit a one-out single in the seventh. Jill Cimminello successfully bunted her to second, but Sari-Jane Jenkins' liner to second was caught by Friedman to end the game.

The Brakettes now stand at 36-2 for the season, and will look to earn a series split tomorrow night at 7:05, as the two teams will go at it once more. The game will be webcast live right here at www.brakettes.com.