WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team battled the rain and visiting Emory University today to take a 9-8 victory in the first game of a four-game University Athletic Association series. The Judges and Eagles played at Bentley University's Turf Field because of rainy weather throughout the day, including during the game.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis: 11-11, 5-4 UAA.
- Emory: 16-13, 2-7 UAA.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Brandeis got off to a quick start in this one, scoring four times in the second inning. The big blow of the frame was a three-run home run to right-center field by first-year 1B Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon). It was the first blast of Boehmer's collegiate career.
- The Judges added another run in the frame after a walk and a triple by sophomore CF Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo) that took a high bounce off the turf surface and eluded Emory's left-fielder.
- Emory CF Paige Nellis returned the favor with an RBI triple in the top of the third that took a similar turf-bounce in left to get the Eagles on the board.
- Nells scored the team's next run in the fifth on an RBI single by DP Ellie Zerr that made it 4-2.
- The visitors looked like they might have put together a game-winning rally in the top of the sixth inning, when they scored six runs on four hits and three Brandeis errors.
- 3B Sonia Klein delivered a home run to dead center field to cut the deficit to one run.
- After a walk put the tying run on base, the Eagles had runners on the corners with none out after a sacrifice bunt was dropped following a collision at first. Shortstop Kayla Lang delivered the game-tying hit, a single to center, with runners still on the corners and none out.
- The Eagles loaded the bases on a hit batter, then went on top when Ashley Chu's grounder to short was booted for a two-run error.
- Nellis lined into a double play that went off the pitcher to short and caught a runner off third, but a Zerr double and two come-backers to the circle, one ruled a hit, the other an error, allowed two more runs to come home, giving Emory an 8-4 lead.
- Brandeis wasted no time in responding. Senior 3B Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) and sophomore RF Elle Ehrlich (Falls Church, Va./Meridian) delivered back-to-back doubles to cut the Judges' deficit to 8-5. A wild pitch and a hit batter put runners on the corners with none out.
- Junior catcher Tristan Boyer (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) reached on an error that plated another run, and Boehmer followed to load the bases with no one out.
- Emory nearly escaped further trouble when junior 2B Fiona Doiron's (Charlton, Mass./Marianapolis) liner to center was turned into a double play thanks to a great throw in center and nice tag at the plate.
- Burdenski coaxed a walk, and sophomore right fielder Maddie Manes (San Clemente, Calif./San Juan Hills) hit a grounder to second that caromed of an Emory player's glove, allowing the tying runs to score, making It 8-8.
- After a scoreless seventh, the teams moved to extra innings. With the UAA not invoking a runner on second until the 10th inning, the Eagles went in order in the top of the eighth.
- In the bottom of the frame, Brandeis took advantage of some Emory wildness to load the bases on two walks and a hit batter. Junior SS Anna Kolb (Alexandria, Va./Thomas A. Edison) delivered the walk-off hit with a shot to center field, giving the Judges the 9-8 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Brandeis senior starter Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) lasted 5.0 innings, allowing five hits and six runs, only three of which were earned. She struck out four and walked three, also hitting two batters.
- Sophomore Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Acad.) came on in relief to earn the win. She threw 3 innings of two-hit relief, allowing two unearned runs, with one strikeout and one hit batter. She improves to 7-4 on the season.
- Mackenzie Duford took the loss, allowing eight hits and seven runs, all earned, in 7.1 innings. She walked six, hit a batter and struck out four. She fell to 8-5 on the campaign.
- At the plate, Nash and Ehrlich each had two hits for the Judges, with both of Nash's being doubles. Boehmer went 1-2 with two walks, scoring three runs and driving in three with her home run.
- Zerr and 1B Ella Hoyle each had two hits, including a double, for the Eagles, while their eight runs came from seven different players.
UP NEXT
- Brandeis and Emory meet for the middle two games of the UAA series tomorrow starting at 12 noon.