Brakettes Perfect in Doubleheader vs. Falcons

July 17, 2014 - Tatum Buckley and Allyson Fournier pitched back-to-back perfect games on Thursday night, leading the Stratford Brakettes to 11-0 and 9-0 victories over the CT Falcons. Denise Denis crushed two homers in the first game, driving in seven runs to pace the offense.

Buckley struck out eight batters in the first game to improve to 7-0 on the season. She also delivered a pair of RBI singles in the nightcap.

Britt Lampert beat out a bunt to start the home first and moved up a bag on a wild pitch. Mariel Schlaefer walked to put two on, bringing Denis to the plate.

Denis smacked a three-run shot to centerfield, her 10th of the year, to open up an early 3-0 edge. The blast gave her six straight seasons with double-digit home runs.

Falcon starter Iliana Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 second frame, before the Brakettes stretched the lead in the third. Schlaefer took another walk with one out and went to second on a wild pitch. Elise Fortier ripped a single to plate Schlaefer for a 4-0 margin.

The Brakettes put the game away in the fourth, as they sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs.

Mandie Fishback doubled to right to start the rally, heading to third on a passed ball. Jess Mouse followed and earned a walk to put runners on the corners. Amber Radomski drilled a RBI single to left to score Fishback for a 5-0 lead, sending Mouse to second.

After Lampert reached on an infield single to load the bases, Schlaefer earned her third walk of the game to push in the sixth run.

Denis came up next and clobbered a grand slam to right, her 11th homer of 2014 and 88th in her career. She is now just three home runs behind Pat Dufficy’s all-time mark of 91.

Elena Bowman doubled with two outs and scored the game’s final run on a bloop single by Fishback. Lampet and Fishback joined Denis with two hits apiece in the contest.

Buckley closed out the run rule-shortened win after a quick fifth inning.

Fournier fanned 12 batters in game two, as she matched Buckley’s early five-inning perfecto. She struck out the first six batters of the game, downing the first four with a total of 12 pitches.

Stratford was again able to put three on the board in the first, as Lampert started the fun with a walk. Lampert stole second and went to third when the throw went into center. Schlaefer drove Lampert home with a deep sac fly to left for a 1-0 lead.
Denis reached on a two-base error and came home after Fortier surprised the Falcons with a bunt single. Fortier moved up on a single by Fishback and scored the third run on a base hit by Mouse.

Falcon pitcher Shyleen Ortiz held the Brakettes scoreless in the second inning, but Stratford was back on the board again in the third.

Fishback started the third with a single and moved up on a base hit by Mouse. Radomski drove in Fishback with a hit up the middle for a 4-0 score. Buckley sent Mouse home with a single of her own, stretching the lead to 5-0. After Lampert reached on an error, Schlaefer lofted a bases-loaded fly to deep center to score a tagging Radomski for a 6-0 advantage.

The Brakettes again used the bottom of the fourth to secure enough runs for a mercy rule victory, tallying three more runs in the inning.

Fortier reached on an error to start the frame and advanced on a single by Bowman. Mouse picked up her third hit of the game to score Fortier for a 7-0 lead. Bowman raced to third on the throw, as Mouse moved to second. Radomski then grounded out to short, sending Bowman home to put Stratford up, 8-0. Mouse reached third on the groundout.

Buckley closed out the scoring at 9-0 with an RBI single, plating Mouse from third.
Fournier struck out the side in the fifth to finish the unique feat for the Stratford pitching staff. Buckley and Fournier (18-0) struck out a total of 20 in ten perfect innings, while the Brakettes scored 20 runs on 22 hits.

Falcons left-fielder Gabby Lanouette was busy in the field, recording nine outs in the doubleheader.

The Brakettes extended their unbeaten streak to 116 games, going back to a 2012 loss to the SoCal Hurricanes in the FCI Invitational. Stratford now stands at 35-0 as they prepare for a jam-packed weekend of softball.

The Brakettes will take on the Akron Racers of the NPF on Saturday night in Akron, OH. The doubleheader will start at 5:05 EST. The quick trip to Ohio will be followed by The Battle of the Sexes on Sunday night, a rescheduled nine-inning game against the Bridgeport Bluefish, to be played at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Brdigeport, CT.

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