Brakettes Stronger Than Rock Thursday Night

July 10, 2014 - The Stratford Brakettes fought off a tough Newtown (PA) Rock team in the opening game of a doubleheader on Thursday night, breaking a scoreless tie in the fourth on the way to a 5-0 win. The Brakettes captured the second game, 10-2.

Allyson Fournier gave up just two hits and one walk in a complete-game shutout, striking out 12 Rock batters in the process. She moved to 14-0 in 2014 with the decision.

Madison Clarke started for the Rock and held the Brakettes scoreless over the first two innings. She was relieved in the third by Nicole Parks.

Elena Bowman singled to right field to start the fourth frame and kept hustling over to third as the ball was misplayed in the corner. Mandie Fishback broke the stalemate with a sac fly to centerfield, giving the Brakettes a 1-0 edge.

Elise Fortier blasted a three-run homer in the bottom the fifth to give Stratford some breathing room, stretching the lead to 4-0. It was the slugger's 11th home run of the season, tops on the team.

Cassie Ruscz closed out the scoring in the home sixth, reaching on a two-out double to right. She used a pair of wild pitches to come home with the Brakettes' fifth and final run.

Fournier retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the victory. Her no-hit bid was cut short in the sixth with a leadoff single by Caroline Schoenwald. Sam Worrell added a double in the inning, the only other hit of the game for the Rock.

The second game got quickly out of hand in the first inning, as the Brakettes scored ten runs on nine hits and an error. Fourteen batters came to the plate in the frame, which saw Stratford drill two home runs.

Britt Lampert, Denise Denis and Elise Fortier hit consecutive one-out singles, with Fortier driving in the other two for a 2-0 lead. Bowman doubled to push Fortier to third, before Fishback singled Fortier home for a 3-0 margin.

Jess Mouse followed and launched a three-run shot, her second of the year, to give the Brakettes a 6-0 advantage.

Mariel Schlaefer and Bri Chiusano both singled, and Lampert reach on an error to load the bases for Denis.

The slugging centerfielder crushed a grand slam, her ninth homer of the year, and 86th of her career. The blast put her just five long balls behind the Brakettes' all-time home run leader, Pat Dufficy (91).

Tatum Buckley drew the start for the Brakettes and shut out the Rock over the first two innings.

Marissa Gergel led off the third with a double for Newtown and scored on a double by Worrell, puttintg the Rock on the board at 10-1.

Dani Petrone slugged a solo shot in the fourth inning to close the gap to 10-2, but the Rock would never get any closer. Buckley improved to 6-0 in the season with the win, as she scattered five hits over five innings. She struck out seven to earn the win.

The Brakettes upped their mark to 27-0 with the pair of victories. They will return to action on Friday night at DeLuca Field with a 7:00 doubleheader against the Mass Pride.

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