CLEVELAND, Ohio. – The Brandeis University softball team swept a doubleheader against Case Western Reserve University on Saturday afternoon as part of a three-game UAA series, earning an 8-4 win in the opener before erupting for a 21-5 victory in game two. Game one resumed from Friday, April 24, after being suspended due to rain in the top of the third inning, and was completed as the opener of Saturday's doubleheader.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 20-16, 7-7 UAA.
• Case Western Reserve, 20-12, 8-6 UAA.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1 (Brandeis 8, Case Western Reserve 4)

• Case Western Reserve struck first after a scoreless opening inning, capitalizing in the second. A single, stolen base, and a sacrifice bunt brought a runner to third. A bunt single and second stolen base put an additional runner into scoring position before a two-RBI single through the left side gave the Spartans an early 2-0 lead.
• However, junior Katie Baydian (Massapequa, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy Acad.) turned an unassisted double play to end the inning, keeping the deficit at two.
• Brandeis responded immediately in the third inning. After sophomore Mary Doud (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) reached on a single down the left field line and advanced into scoring position on a passed ball, senior Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C./Franklin Academy) worked a walk before junior Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up. Baydian then delivered the big hit, launching a three-run home run to left-center to give the Judges a 3-2 advantage.
• The game remained tight through the middle innings, with both pitchers settling in. Case Western Reserve tied the game in the fifth on a solo home run to right field, making it 3-3 heading into the late innings.
• Brandeis broke the game open in the sixth with a decisive offensive surge. The Judges loaded the bases with two singles and a walk before Hunt drew an RBI walk to give Brandeis the lead. Another bases-loaded walk by Boehmer forced in a run, and Baydian added to the score with an RBI fielder's choice. A fielding error allowed two more runs to score, capping a five-run inning and extending the lead to 8-3.
• The Spartans threatened in the seventh, stringing together three hits to score one run, but Brandeis closed the door to secure the 8-4 victory.
• Baydian led the Judges offensively with a three-run homer (her second home run of the season) and four RBIs, while Hunt reached base twice and drove in a run. First-year Taryn Rainey (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) added a pair of hits, and the Judges worked consistently deep counts to earn nine walks.
• Senior starter Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) earned the complete-game win, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out six over seven innings to even her season record at 7-7.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2 (Brandeis 21, Case Western Reserve 5)

• Brandeis wasted no time getting on the board, erupting for three runs in the opening inning. After Hunt reached on an infield single and Boehmer worked a walk, a wild pitch advanced the runners into scoring position before Baydian drove in the first run with an RBI groundout. Sophomore Jordan Wallace (Howell, N.J./Choate Rosemary Hall (Conn.)) followed by launching a two-run home run to center to give the Judges an early 3-0 lead.
• The Judges kept the pressure on in the second with a dominant offensive inning. Brandeis strung together six hits and two walks, highlighted by RBI singles from Hunt, Baydian, Wallace, and senior Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo). The five-run frame extended the lead to 8-0.
• Case Western Reserve got on the board in the bottom of the second on a solo home run, but Brandeis answered in the top half of the third, as Doud drove in a run with a single up the middle after a double by first-year Mia Deck (Laguna Hills, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) to keep the Judges comfortably in front, 9-3.
• The Spartans added two more runs in the third with a two-RBI single to cut into the deficit, and continued to chip away, adding a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and another on a solo home run in the fifth to make it 9-5.
• Brandeis responded powerfully in the sixth inning with a game-breaking rally. The Judges exploded for 12 runs on six hits, taking advantage of walks, defensive miscues, and timely hitting. The inning began with a solo homer by Boehmer and was capped by a grand slam from pinch hitter sophomore Dylan Yamamura (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park), while additional RBIs from Wallace, Hunt, and Rainey helped push the lead to 21-5.
• The Judges' offense was powered by contributions throughout the lineup, totaling 16 hits and nine walks. Wallace led the way with 3 hits including her eighth home run of the season and four RBIs, while Hunt and Baydian each added three hits and three RBIs.
• Meanwhile, Yamamura's pinch hit grand slam marked her first homer of the season.
• Brandeis used a combination of pitchers in the circle, with first-year Madeline Jennings (New York, N.Y./Beacon) starting the first two innings and allowing 3 earned runs over 4 hits, and sophomore Jamie Staub (Lawrenceville, N.J./Hun School) pitching two innings of relief while allowing 2 earned runs over 4 hits.
• Kannan earned her second win of the day after closing out the final two innings without allowing any runs, improving her season record to 8-7.
• With the two victories, the Judges reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2023.
• Brandeis' 21 runs are its most in a game since scoring 20 in 2012.

 
UP NEXT

• The Judges will play the final game of their UAA series against Case Western Reserve University on Sunday, Apr. 26th, with first pitch set for 11 a.m. (rescheduled from Saturday, Apr. 25th due to Friday's rain suspension).