Fortier's Three HR's Power Brakettes Over Spirit

June 8, 2014 - Elise Fortier launched three home runs on Sunday against the Lyons Spirit, as the Brakettes rounded out Opening Weekend with a pair of victories, 7-0 and 8-0. Fortier broke a scoreless tie in the opener with a third-inning grand slam and smacked two more round-trippers in the late game.

Tatum Buckley earned her first win as a Brakette, hurling a three-hit shutout while striking out six. The Florida Atlantic-bound, two-time Gatorade CT Player of the Year is set to graduate from Masuk H.S. (Monroe, CT) later this week.

Liz Gall took the ball for the Spirit in the early outing and matched Buckley’s shutout into the third. However, walks to Brit Lampert, Bri Chiusano and Denise Denis loaded the bases with one out for the Brakettes.

Fortier then launched a grand slam to left-center to blow the game wide open. It was the second homer of the season for Fortier and just the first hit of the day for the Brakettes, who closed out the third with a 4-0 lead.

Lampert got on base again in the home fourth, when she singled with one out. Chiusano singled with two away to move Lampert into scoring position. Denis delivered the Brakettes’ third base hit of the inning to score Lampert from second, pushing the advantage to 5-0.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson enjoyed a solid sixth inning, as she started the top of the frame in left field with a fully-outstretched, diving catch of Karen Bauer’s line drive. She read the drive right off the bat and made the sensational grab as she slid head-first across the foul line.

Diaz-Patterson also led off the bottom of the frame with a single and scored on a double by Denis. Elena Bowman drove in Denis with a single to extend the margin to 7-0.

Denis went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI’s and two walks, while scoring twice. Bowman also had two hits for the Brakettes in the game.

Sarah Benevinga collected two of Lyons’ base hits, while Gall had the other.

Allyson Fournier threw her third shutout of the weekend in the second game, striking out seven in six innings. She scattered four hits in the matchup and improved to 3-0 in 2014.

Fortier paced the Brakettes with a pair of two-run home runs, including the game-winning blast in the sixth, giving her four long balls on the season.

Diaz-Patterson reached on an error to start the first and went to second base on a bunt single by Chiusano. Denis then drilled a double to score Diaz-Patterson for an early 1-0 edge. Fortier also reach safely on an infield single, loading the bases with no outs.

Spirit starter Liz Parkins retired the next batter on a popup and then induced a grounder to short, which led to a force out at home. But with two outs and the bases loaded, Buckley and Mariel Schlaefer picked up consecutive walks to drive in the Brakettes’ second and third runs.

After a scoreless second inning, Stratford added another tally in the third.
Bowman led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a base hit by Jess Mouse. Buckley sacrificed both runners up a bag, putting two in scoring position with one out. Schlaefer followed and picked up her second RBI of the contest with a sac fly to right. Bowman raced home to give the Brakettes a 4-0 lead.

After Denis reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fourth, Fortier blasted a two-run homer to push the lead to 6-0. Fortier crushed another two-run shot in the sixth, leaving the Spirit on the field. Chiusano had reached on a single before the decisive blow.

The Brakettes improved to 6-0 on the season, as the Spirit dropped to 8-4. The teams will renew their rivalry next weekend with a doubleheader at Lyons Ballfield in Lyons, PA on Saturday night at 7:00. They will also play another twin-bill on Sunday at 12 noon.

All 2014 Brakette games are live video webcast at www.brakettes.com.