Brakettes Take Two in USSSA Pool Play

July 25, 2014 - The Stratford Brakettes captured a pair of victories in pool play of the 2014 USSSA Brakettes Invitational on Friday night, outpacing the CT Eliminators and Stratford Breakers, 11-0 and 9-0, respectively.

Brandice Balschmiter hurled a four-inning perfect game in the Brakettes' opener against the Eliminators, striking out six to improve to 11-0 on the season.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson reached on a leadoff bunt single in the first, and Denise Denis also singled in the inning, to put runners at the corners with one out. After Denis stole second, Elise Fortier crushed a three-run jack to put the Brakettes ahead, 3-0.

The Brakettes added two more to the scoreboard in the second, as Mariel Schlaefer singled up the middle with two outs. Amber Radomski then doubled to drive in Schlaefer for a 4-0 lead.

After Diaz-Patterson walked to put two on, Britt Lampert reached on a base hit to plate Radomski, stretching the lead to 5-0.

Mandie Fishback beat out a bunt single in the third and scored on a 285-foot home run by Steffi Call, her first of the season. The blast put Stratford up 7-0, but the Brakettes were not done yet.

Tatum Buckley singled up the middle with two outs and moved up on a base hit by Schlaefer. The relay throw from right field sailed wide of third and allowed Buckley to come home with the eighth run.

Diaz-Patterson and Denis again set the table for Fortier in the fourth, as they both earned bases on balls. Fortier clobbered her 14th homer of the year and second of the game, a three-run shot to leave the Eliminators on the field.

The game was called in rune rule-shortened fashion, due to the ten-run lead after four frames.

Shannon Smith earned her first win as a Brakettes in the late game, giving up just a lone infield single en route to a shutout over the Breakers. Smith struck out ten in five innings, as the Brakettes again enjoyed a shortened decision.

Lampert got the ball rolling in the home first, reaching on a bunt single with one out. She advanced on a single by Fortier and scored on an error for the early 1-0 edge.

Call sent her second homer of 2014 to deep left-center in the second inning, a solo shot to extend the margin to 2-0.

Buckley and Schlaefer picked up base hits with two outs, both scoring on a double by Radomski for a 4-0 advantage. Diaz-Patterson lined a ground rule double through the outfield fence, which sent Radomski home for a 5-0 lead.

A solo shot by Fortier, her third of the night and team-leading 15th of the year, pushed the lead to 6-0 in the third.

Call walked to start the fourth and went to second on a single by Jess Mouse. Schlaefer picked up her second single, also her fourth hit of the night, to load the bases with one out.

Radomski came through with a two-run single, giving the Brakettes an 8-0 tally. Diaz-Patterson grounded out to the right side to bring home Schlaefer, closing out the scoring at 9-0.

Smith retired the side in the fifth for the win, as the Brakettes improved to 39-0 on the season.

The Brakettes return to action on Saturday night at 7:30 with one more pool play contest against the New Jersey Rampage. Single-elimination bracket play will begin on Sunday morning, with the ten teams seeded in order of finish in pool play.

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