Brakettes Sweep Seahawks Opening Night

June 6, 2014 - Alysson Fournier struck out 16 and threw her first no-hitter as a Brakette on Friday at DeLuca Field, highlighting an Opening Night doubleheader sweep of the Stratford Seahawks. The Brakettes won the first game, 6-1, as Brandice Balschmiter also fanned 16 batters to earn the win. The nightcap was a 4-0 decision in which Fournier walked just one.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson led off the bottom of the first in the early contest with a single in her first at bat as a Brakette. She collected a total of five hits on the night. Britt Lampert beat out a bunt single to put two on with two outs, bringing up veteran slugger Denise Denis.

Denis roped a triple to the right field fence that gave the Brakettes a 2-0 lead, which provided all the support that Balschmiter would need.

The lone run allowed by Balschmiter on the night was on a solo shot by Brenna Martini in the top of the second. Balschmiter also scattered three singles and walked a pair, but retired 12 in a row and got a crucial strikeout with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Denis homered in the third, driving in her third run of the game. The solo shot was the 78th in her career, putting her just 13 away from Pat Dufficy on the Brakettes’ all-time home run list.

Mariel Schlaefer, Diaz-Patterson and Denis all walked and scored in the home fourth, closing out the scoring at 6-1. Elise Fortier picked up an RBI in the frame on a sac fly to right.

Sierra Sheehan started for the Seahawks and pitched into the fourth, before being replaced by Allison Chiaramonte.

Fournier dominated the late game from start to finish, going seven innings for the Brakettes for the first time. She picked up two run rule-shortened victories late last season for the club. She walked just one batter along the way, while another Seahawk runner reached on an error in the seventh.

Between the two overpowering pitching performances, there was only one inning on the night where Brakette pitchers struck out fewer than two per frame. Fournier struck out just one in the fifth, while inducing two quick putouts at first base in a 1-2-3 inning.

Chiaramonte started the late game for the Seahawks and traded scoreless innings with Fournier until the third. Diaz-Patterson reached on a one-out single and moved up on a base hit by Bri Chiusano, her first with the team. Diaz-Patterson reached third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Denis and tallied the Brakettes’ first run on a single by Fortier.

The Brakettes added to the 1-0 advantage with two runs in the fourth.

Mandie Fishback led off the frame with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Tatum Buckley. Jess Mouse drilled a double to right-center to score Fishback and later came home on a single by Diaz-Patterson, her fifth hit of the night. The Brakettes enjoyed a 3-0 lead heading into the fifth.

Chiusano scored her first run as a Brakette in the fifth, when she reached and scored on a pair of errors. Elena Bowman, also making her Brakette debut, picked up two hits in the late game and caught the no-hitter by Fournier.

The Brakettes now stand at 2-0 heading into Saturday night’s doubleheader against the Lyons (PA) Spirit at DeLuca Field in Stratford. The first game will start at 7:00 pm.

All 2014 Brakettes’ games will be live video webcast at www.brakettes.com.