AMHERST, NY - This year was a new era for the renowed Stratford, CT Brakettes, but the winning continues.
Going undefeated, (5-0) the Brakettes decisioned the Southern California Sliders of Yoma Linda, CA 7-3 on Sunday to capture their 27th ASA Women's Major Fast Pitch National Championship.
The Brakettes, who finished second when this event was last held here in 1984, had to rebuild this year with all but five players remaining from last year's team now playing for the Connecticut Brakettes in the National Pro Fast Pitch League.
Besides having 12 new players on this year's team, the Brakettes had a different manager, Jay Stratton, son of Connecticut Brakettes Manager John Stratton, and assistant coach Rich Roessner.
"This is for Mr. Carpenter," said Jay following the win over the Sliders, who lost earlier in the tournament to the Brakettes, 6-5 in eight innings.
Jay was referring to David O. Carpenter, chairman of Brakettes Softball, who felt the Brakettes needed to maintain a presence in amateur softball since the team was founded in 1946.
Finishing the year 44-4, the Brakettes advanced to the championship round after beating Storm USA of Corona, CA 6-0 in the winner's bracket final. The Brakettes scored four times in the third and added two more runs in the fourth to send the Storm into the loser's bracket.
The Storm then lost to the Sliders, 4-2, in the loser's bracket final to be eliminated and finish 2-2 and in third place for the second year in a row. In 2004, the Storm and the Brakettes met in the championship game with the Brakettes winning 1-0. The Brakettes have beaten the Storm six times in the national tourney.
The Sliders (5-2) advanced to the loser's bracket final by eliminating the St. Louis Saints, 4-1, who finished finished fourth (4-2).
The Brakettes got two excellent pitching performances from Candice Baker, who was 22-10 for Cal State Fullerton this year. Baker fanned 12 and allowed one hit in the winner's bracket final and hurled a five-hitter with nine strikeouts in the championship game. The Brakettes supported her with 19 hits in the two games.
The only hit Baker allowed against the Storm USA was a two-out single by center fielder Gina Carbonatto into center field in the fourth inning. Baker was overpowering in the first five innings, fanning 11 of the first 16 batters she faced, including the first six in a row.
Darcy Wood started for the Storm and hurled 2 1/3 innings before Casey Halloran (1 2/3) replaced her in the third inning. Wood came back in the fourth and pitched the remainder of the game for the Storm, finishing with 4 1/3 innings, four runs allowed and six hits.
The Brakettes scored four times in the third inning on an RBI double by Baker and RBI singles by Jenna Macchi and Courtney Bures. The other run in the inning scored on a passed ball by the Storm catcher.
The Brakettes tallied two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run single by Whitney Mollica, who had two singles in four at-bats. Macchi also had a pair of hits (double and single) in four at-bats.
In the championship game, the Brakettes pounded out nine hits against three Sliders' pitchers, scoring one in the third and three each in the fourth and sixth innings. The Sliders scored twice in the sixth inning on an RBI triple by Amanda Kamekona and a Brakette error. In the seventh the Sliders tallied their second and last run on a pinch hit RBI double by Bridgette Caron.
The Brakettes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple by Hayle Guess and added three more in the fourth on a two-run single by Lovena Chaput and an RBI single by Chelsi Lake.
Thrree more runs in the sixth closed out the scoring for the Brakettes who got RBI doubles from Macchi and Mollica and an RBI triple by Baker. The Sliders used three hurlers with Lorilyn Wilson the loser ( 3 2/3 innings, four runs, four hits), Christy Robitaille (1 2/3, three runs, five hits) and Kia Fennell ( 1/3 of an inning).
In addition to her triple, Baker had singles in the fourth and fifth innings to finish with three hits in four at-bats. Chaput had two singles and a walk in three at-bats for a perfect performance.
Following the championship, the two All-American teams were announced:
First Team 1B - Kali Shirk, Storm USA; 2B - Jenna Macchi, Brakettes; 3B - Whitney Mollica, Brakettes; SS - Amanda Kamekona, Sliders; OF - Lovena Chaput, Brakettes; Gina Carbonatto, Storm USA; Katie Cochran, Sliders; Lisa Modglin, Sliders; Utility - Michelle Smith, Sliders; Natalie Peters, St. Louis Saints; Killian Roessner, Brakettes; Catcher - Crystal; Krebs, Storm USA; Pitchers - Lorilyn Wilson, Sliders; Brooke Baker, St. Louis Saints and Candice Baker, Brakettes.
Second Team: 1B - Deann Young, Sliders; 2B - Christa Gammon, St. Louis Saints; 3B - Dawn Setter, Amherst Lightning Kulwicki; SS - Toni Difillipo, Topton VIPs; Outfield - Nicole Willats, Buffalo Bisons; Hayle Guess, Brakettes; Kristie Morcrette, Topton VIPs; Elizabeth Gall, Topton VIPs. Utility - Miranda Ervin, Amherst Lightning Kulwicki; Jackie Marten, St. Louis Saints; Nickki Thompson, Buffalo Bisons; Catcher - Tessa Paolina, Amherst Lightning Kulwicki; Pitchers - Cortney Piar, Amherst Lightning Kilwicki; Stacey Denlinger, Topton VIPs and Chrissy Owens, Brakettes.
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