LA VERNE, Calif. - The Brandeis University softball team scored one run against host Chapman University with a significant contribution by first-year Hannah Fletcher. The home team pounded out a 14-hit game compared to the seven-hit game from the Judges.
TEAM RECORDS
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1
- The Judges were not able to string together enough hits to score until the 6th inning.
- In the first inning, Jordan Westerfield of the Panthers homered to left, being the first to score.
- In the second inning, Brandeis was able to get runners on third and second base but was not able to score them due to back-back strikeouts.
- Chapman was able to hit in the gaps and capitalize on an infield error to score 6 runs in the bottom of the second inning, bringing the game to 7-0.
- Brandeis was able to hold them for the rest of the game, not allowing Chapman University to score any more runs.
- In the top of the 6th inning, sophomore Maddie Manes (San Clemente, Calif / San Juan Hills) hit a single to center field, putting her on first base. Then senior Alex Cohen grounded out to third base, advancing Manes to second.
- With two outs and a person in scoring position at second base, freshman Hannah Fletcher (Bethany, Conn / Amity Regional) singled to left field which allowed Manes to score. The Judges were finally able to get on the scoreboard, making the game 7-1.
- In the final inning, Chapman was able to string together 2 scored runs to bring the final score to 9-1. The game finishes due to the 8-run rule.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Judges had only two walks compared to the Panthers with only one walk and were hit by a pitch once.
- Fletcher's single to left field was able to produce the only run for Brandeis.
- Chapman had 7 more RBIs compared to Brandeis, including the home run by Westerfield.
- Cohan gained her first loss of the season with 14 hits against her as she pitched a total of 114 pitches against a total of 33 batters faced. She tossed the whole game. She also had 4 strikeouts which is almost half of the strikeouts compared to the Panther pitchers senior Simi Lauwers and junior Jillian Kelly combined, which had 8 total.
- The Panthers pitchers threw a total of 85 pitches facing 24 Brandeis hitters.
Brandeis faced Whittier College in the second game of the day. The game was very close as both sides had tough defense and pitching. The game was tied until the last inning, when a double by Whittier College brought the final score the 3-4.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis 0-2
- Whittier 2-0
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2
- Whittier was the first to score with an unearned run from an error by an infielder in the bottom of the first inning. Then a single by Flynn allowed another unearned run for Whittier.
- In the top of the third, with bases loaded, freshman Hannah Fletcher (Bethany, Conn / Amity Regional) grounded out to shortstop, advancing the runners one base, and got junior Anna Kolb (Alexandria, Va. / Thomas A. Edison) to score. The runners failed to advance after that.
- In the top of the fourth inning, freshman Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mount Lebanon) singled up the middle, allowing senior Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y. / Bethlehem Central), who was at second base, to score. This brought the score to 2-2.
- In the bottom of the fourth, senior Heaven Wolf singled up to the right field allowing an unearned run to score.
- In the top of the sixth, Bella Burdenski (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo), had a crucial triple to center field, which allowed the last run for the Judges to score, it also tied the score 2-2.
- In the bottom of the seventh inning, Wolf had a double to right center, the game-winning run scores, finalizing the score to 3-4.
- Throughout the game, the Judges were playing catch up to the Poets until the last inning when there was a hit to win the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sophomore Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C. / Franklin Academy) and senior Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y. / Bethlehem Central) were this game's top performers going 2 for 3 at the plate.
- The freshman class had two of the three RBIs in the game.
- Sophomore pitcher Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) gained her first loss of the season, tossing a complete game. Kannan faced 28 Whittier hitters, had 3 strikeouts, only one walk, and had 9 hits against. The Poets pitchers gave up 8 hits, had 4 strikeouts, and faced 30 batters.
UP NEXT
The Judges are scheduled to play two more games in California on Thursday at La Verne starting at 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern time.
