By Tim Parry
You think it’s easy reaching 20-0? Tell that to the Stratford Brakettes. It trailed in both ends of its Friday doubleheader against the pesky Stratford Seahawks before pulling away for 4-1 and 6-2 wins.

The Seahawks went up 1-0 in the third inning of the opener after a double by Sarah Gates, who was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Jen Michaels, and scored on a double up the middle by Christine Bourdeau.

The Brakettes got the runs back in the bottom of the inning. Mandie Fischback bunted her way to first, and Whitney Mollica followed with a homer to left center. Jessica Mouse made it back-to-back shots with a homer off Seahawks starter Bren Gleason.

Brandice Balschmiter got her seventh win on the mound with a 13 strikeout performance.

In game two, the Seahawks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning Michelle Libby doubled and scored on Kim Church’s sacrifice bunt and a Mollica throwing error. Jenn Rickel’s sac bunt, a comebacker by Michaels, and Lindsay Kinnel’s RBI single accounted for the second run off Brakettes starter Bailey Sanders.

But Mollica led off the home half of the second with a homer to left. And with two outs, Ashley Waters drilled a double to right center, and scored on Amber Radomski’s single to center for a 2-2 tie.

The last time the Brakettes trailed in both games of a doubleheader? According to the record books, it was July 1, 2006.

By Tim Parry
It’s true, the summertime is a busy season in Fairfield County. If you’re not hitting a movie or a dining (or drinking) establishment, it’s a Bluefish game. And the malls, the summer concert series’ can get in the way, as do the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox, whether live or on the screen.

And they all are fighting for your hard-earned dollar. Or to keep that paycheck in your bank account.

But one of the oldest sports traditions in Fairfield County is also one of the most obscure to those who aren’t softball purists. That would be the 61-year-old Stratford Brakettes.

The days of when thousands of fans would circle either Raybestos Memorial Field or Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field on a nightly basis have passed. But if you want to see some of the most talented fast-pitch players take the field, then there’s no reason to pass the 27-time ASA champion Brakettes by.

Here’s 10 reasons to catch a Brakettes game (or two) this summer:

1. Double-headers (almost) every night: Where else can you get twice the bang for your buck these days?
2. Free parking: And on top of that, an easy shot off I-95 once you reach the Lordship and Sikorski areas. Traffic is not a problem.
3. Don Zimmer’s granddaughter: Really, she’s a Brakette. Whitney Mollica, number 23 on your scorecard. And the first baseman is batting well over .500 with five homers on the season. In the Tampa Bay area, though, Zimmer is known as Whitney’s grampa.
4. A local connection: Amber Radomski once dominated the field at Joel Barlow, now she is living her lifelong dream of being a Brakette. She’s a role model local kids can look up to, and proof that any goal can be achieved with hard work.
5. Your new local hero: Rachele Fico, the Oxford resident and Masuk pitching star, will make her Brakettes debut on Sunday. Last time I talked with her she was heading to Florida to play for a premiere U18 team, so skip Sunday dinner and check her out.
6. Fico’s future teammate: Third baseman Jessica Mouse just completed her freshman year at Louisiana State University, where Fico will be starting in the fall of 2009. And she’s proven why LSU attracts some of the best players in the nation.
7. Olympians: OK, two current Brakettes just missed out on making it to the last-ever Olympic competition. Leslie Malerich, who is riding a hot streak on the mound right now, is a member of the Italy national team, and Jenna Lopez’s Puerto Rico team missed qualifying for Bejing, losing to Venezuela in the qualification round finals.
8. And more Olympians: Sunday, July 20, Team USA comes to town for a one-game match-up with the Brakettes. We’re talking Jennie Finch and Lisa Fernandez, folks, right here in our backyard.
9. Legendary coach John Stratton: For those keeping score at home, the Friday night sweep against the Stratford Seahawks gave Stratton a 654-89 career record. This is his 30th season as a coach with the Brakettes, and his 12th as the manager.
10. Good eats: What’s a ballgame without a good concession stand? A horrible experience, that’s what. Best fries in Stratford, plus no need to break the bank to feed a family of four.

So there you have it. If you don’t believe me, here’s a link to the Brakettes schedule. Come on out and give me more reasons to hit the field.