WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team made their New England and home debuts today, but the Judges were unable to overcome the visiting Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards, falling 6-0 in the opener and 8-6 in the second game.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 1-11.
• Wentworth, 6-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1

• The Judges were limited to three hits and five total base-runners by Wentworth junior Julie Schriver, who tossed a complete game with five strikeouts and one hit batter, improving to 3-2.
• The Leopards scored their first three runs on solo home runs, including two by sophomore SS Kelsey Medalia in the first and third innings.
• Senior CF Jess Rowe added a solo blast of her own to spark a three-run fifth inning, and the visitors tacked on a run in the sixth to close out the scoring.
• Brandeis's top performer was sophomore LF Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon), who went 1-2 with a stolen base and a hit batter.
• First-year pitcher Jamie Staub (Lawrenceville, N.J./Hun School) fell to 0-3 on the season, allowing six hits and two earned runs in the first four innings. She struck out two and walked three. Classmate Claire Warden (Annandale, Va./Woodson) threw the final three innings, giving up eight hits and four runs (two earned) with one strikeout and no walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME TWO

• The visitors also got off to a strong start to the second game thanks to the long ball, as Rowe hit a three-run bomb in the top of the first.
• Brandeis scored their first run of the day in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI double by grad student 3B Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central).
• WIT catcher Kyla Igawa delivered a pair on unearned runs in the second with a single to put the Leopards ahead, 5-1.
• Brandeis cut their deficit to one in the bottom of the third. They loaded the bases with no one out when Boehmer's line-drive to second was knocked down, allowing a run to score, but catching the runner going to third in no-man's-land for the first out.
• Nash singled to re-load the bases, and senior 2B Anna Kolb (Alexandria, Va./Thomas A. Edison) hit a scorcher to third base that plated two more.
• A walk loaded the bases again, but the Wentworth pitcher got out of it with a strikeout and a sharp liner to second, keeping the score at 5-4.
• The Leopards got three key insurance runs in the top of the sixth. They loaded the bases on three singles with none out. A bases-loaded walk brought home the first run of the frame, while a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch made it 8-4 in favor of the visitors.
• Brandeis took advantage of a Wentworth error in the bottom of the sixth, as a dropped fly in the outfield put runners on second and third with one out. First-year CF Mary Doud (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) singled on a sharp grounder to short and junior RF Maddie Manes (San Clemente, Calif./San Juan Hills) followed with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing Brandeis within 8-6, but the Judges could get no closer.
• Nash finished with Brandeis's lone multi-hit game, while Manes and senior catcher Tristan Boyer (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) each scored twice.
• Wentworth's Rowe led all players with three RBI and outfielder Linnea Carlson had a game-high three hits, including a double.
• Brandeis junior Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Acad.) suffered the loss in her season debut, allowing six hits and five runs (three earned) in three innings of work. She walked two and struck out one.
• Wentworth's Julia Malowitz earned the win in relief, going 4.2 innings of one-hit ball, allowing two unearned runs. She walked four and struck out three to improve to 2-2.

UP NEXT

• The Judges open up University Athletic Association play next weekend at Emory, starting a three-game series on Friday, March 21, at 3 p.m. in Atlanta.