WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team swept visiting Framingham State College in a doubleheader today to move over the .500 mark for the first time this season. The Judges used a three-homer barrage in the opener and one well-timed round-tripper to take game two.

Brandeis (10-9) had no trouble in game one, winning by a 12-0 margin. Eight of nine Brandeis starters had hits, while seven scored runs and six had RBI. Junior DP Natalie Volpe (Southington, Conn.) had an RBI single in the first, followed by a two-run home run by junior 2b Danielle Mayer (Larkspur, Calif.), her sixth of the season.

The Judges sent 12 batters to the plate in the third inning to score seven runs. Junior 1b Kaitlin Streilein (Point Pleasant, N.Y.) and rookie pitcher Allie Mussen (Franklin Square, N.Y.) each hit three-run homers in the inning, the third homer this season for each. Sophomore RF Vicki Roomet (Jamaica, N.Y.) added an RBI in the fifth inning. The final run scored on a Framingham State error.

In addition to her home runs, Mussen tossed a complete-game, five-inning one-hitter to improve to 3-2 on the season. She struck out two and walked two. Senior RF Lauren Walsh (Dracut, Mass.) had the Rams' only hit, a single in the fourth inning. Junior Kelly Knox (Framingham, Mass.) suffered the loss to fall to 2-7 on the year. She gave up 10 of the 12 runs, eight of which were earned.

In the second contest, FSC (8-12) fell behind again, as Brandeis scored in the third inning on Mussen's fourth RBI of the afternoon. The Rams scored their first runs of the day in the fifth inning. With one out, sophomore DP Rachel Timmons (Malden, Mass.) singled up the middle. That brought up sophomore 2B Katelyn Pacheco (Acushnet, Mass.), who homered to centerfield to give the Rams a 2-1 lead.

Brandeis answered in the sixth. Junior CF Amelia Schimmel (Oakland, Calif.) reached on an error and Streilein singled and stole second to put runners on second and third. Rookie SS Chelsea Korp (Worcester, Mass.), the only Brandeis player not to get a hit in the opener, followed with the decisive blow, a three-run home run that gave the Judges a 4-2 victory.

Once again, eight of nine Brandeis hitters hit safely, though FSC senior DeAnna Curtis (Lakeville, Mass.) worked out of trouble, allowing just the four runs, two of which were earned. She suffered the loss despite striking out three and walking none to fall to 4-4. Mussen also picked up the win in game two, throwing a complete-game four hitter with nine whiffs and three walks.

Brandeis is next in action tomorrow with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at Clark University, while Framingham State heads to Western Connecticut State next Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.