Sarah Lawton was a very good pitcher during her days at Holy Cross. She got even better during her time at Florida Southwestern College, and she was doing well at Florida Gulf Coast University when her junior season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lawton is now pitching for the Stratford Brakettes, and she is pitching at a whole other level. She won both games in a doubleheader Sunday against the Concord (Mass.) Raiders at Stratford’s Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field. That prompted this postgame comment from head coach John Stratton.
“She is the best pitcher to come out of Waterbury SINCE Joan Joyce,” Stratton said in a story on the Brakettes website. “She just keeps getting better and better.”
Joyce is the Brass City legend and Hall of Famer who won over 700 games in her playing career, and most of those came with the Brakettes. She has over 900 wins as a collegiate head coach, and oh yeah, played on the LPGA Tour for nearly two decades. That is only part of her resume. For the full story, read Roger Cleaveland’s article in Sunday’s Waterbury Republican-American.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Lawton allowed a single baserunner and tossed a six-inning no-hitter as the Brakettes claimed an 8-0 victory. Lawton struck out 14 in that game. In the second game, Lawton threw three innings in relief in a 9-1, five-inning win in the second game, and won that contest. Lawton pitched in relief of Sydney Senerchia, who left with arm stiffness, according to the Brakettes website.
Lawton picked up the final two outs on Saturday to toss a combined no-hitter with Abby Abramson in a 2-1 victory over the Massachusetts Drifters. The save was Lawton’s first of the season.
I had a chance to watch Lawton pitch on Thursday night against the Cheshire Wildcats 18U Gold team, and she nearly threw a no-hitter that game. Lawton gave up one hit and struck out 12 in five innings in a 9-0 win. Lawton hasn’t just improved since her days on Oronoke Road. She has become a great pitcher.
Here are some stats from the Brakettes website to justify that statement: 5-0 record, 1 save, 0.77 ERA, 28.2 innings, 59 strikeouts.
If you get a chance this summer, go watch Lawton pitch. Heck, go watch the Brakettes (15-0) play. The team is full of Connecticut talent, and the ride to Stratford would be worth it.
This is the opinion of Kevin Roberts, owner of Sports on CT-69.
Photo caption: Lawton winds up during Thursday’s Brakettes game in Stratford. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)
