N. DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team dropped a pair of pitcher's duels today in a non-conference tune-up doubleheader before starting University Athletic Association play this weekend. The Judges fell to the Corsairs, 3-2 in nine innings in the opener, then lost game 2, 3-1, in a contest called in the sixth inning due to darkness.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis: 4-7.
- UMass Dartmouth: 10-6.
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1
- The Judges broke the ice in the twinbill in the third inning without benefit of a hit. First-year 1B Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mount Lebanon) led off with a walk, beat the throw to second on a bunt and moved to third on another sacrifice. Sophomore RF Maddie Manes (San Clemente, Calif / San Juan Hills) brought her home with a grounder to second that also advanced a runner to third, but the Judges couldn't push home the extra run,
- Brandeis sophomore Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Acad.) limited UMD to three hits through the first five innings, but the hosts broke through for two runs in the sixth. The Corsairs loaded the bases with one out and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly. Kannan issued her second walk of the inning to load the bases again, and a single to right brought home the tying run. Kannan induced a grounder to second to keep the margin at 2-1, UMD.
- The Judges knotted things up in the top of the seventh. With one out, Boehmer tripled down the right-field line. She scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly from junior 2B Fiona Doiron (Charlton, Mass. / Marianapolis Prep.).
- Kannan escaped a bit of trouble in the bottom of the frame when the Corsairs had runners on first and second with one out, but she got a strikeout and a fly to center to force extra innings.
- Brandeis couldn't get a runner home in their two attempts. The Judges' defense cut a runner down at the plate in the eighth, but a bunt and a single in the ninth by UMass Dartmouth gave the hosts the win.
- Kannan threw a career-high 8.1 innings for her fifth complete game of the season and the 19th of her career. She gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) with four strikeouts and three walks. Kannan falls to 2-3 on the season.
- UMD's Kaitlyn Shirshac earned the win, tossing nine innings and holding the Judges to just three hits. She gave up two earned runs, struck out three and walked four in improving to 6-4 on the campaign.
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2
- In the second pitcher's duel of the day, both teams were limited to three hits over six innings.
- Brandeis opened the scoring again, this time in the top of the first when sophomore Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) launched her third home run of the season to left field. It was the seventh of her career.
- In the bottom of the frame, the Corsairs scored without a hit. After a leadoff walk, Brandeis senior Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) got an out, but an error at shortstop allowed the tying run to score.
- Brandeis loaded the bases with two out in the third on a single and two walks, but UMD's Rahne Turley induced a grounder to second to get out of it unscathed.
- UMass Dartmouth scored the winning run in the bottom of the fourth when Hailey Lyons led off the inning with a home run to left. They tacked on an insurance run in the fifth on a single to short, a bunt, a steal of third and a grounder to first.
- Cohen was a hard-luck loser, throwing six innings of three-hit ball. She allowed three runs (two earned), struck out one and walked one. She falls to 2-4 on the season.
- Turley improved to 4-2, also throwing a three-hitter over six innings. She gave up two walks, struck out one, and allowed just one earned run.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- Brandeis's top offensive players on the day were Boehmer (1-5, 2 R, 3B), Burdenski (1-4, HR, RBI, 3 BB), and sophomore Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C. / Franklin Academy) (3-6, 2B).
UP NEXT
- The Judges travel to St. Louis to take on Washington University in a four-game UAA series starting Friday at 4 p.m. (3 Central).
