ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - Eleven different players rapped out 13 hits this afternoon to give the Brandeis softball team its first win of the season, an 8-2 University Athletic Association win over Case Western Reserve University.
Brandeis (1-3, 1-1 UAA) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by junior LF Chelsea Korp (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) that plated sophomore CF Carly Schmand (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman), who had singled and stole second. Case (3-3, 0-2 UAA) sophomore pitcher Ruth Sagartz (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Acad.) loaded the bases in the frame, but dodged any more damage in that inning.
The Judges blew the game open in the fourth thanks to four runs on three hits and two Case errors. With one away, sophomore 2B Melisa Cagar (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) doubled, the only extra-base hit of the game. She moved to third on a single by rookie RF Lara Hirschler (Bellmore, N.Y./John F. Kennedy), who stole second. The first two runs of the frame came on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore 3B Danielle Lavallee (Sutton, Mass./Notre Dame Acad.) that was thrown away by the Spartan first baseman, allowing both runners to come home. Lavallee came home on another error, this in the outfield on junior C Erin Ross's (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) single to right, while rookie SS Brittany Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) singled home Ross.
The Spartans got two runs back in the top of the fifth against Brandeis rookie Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton), who allowed just one hit and two base-runners through the first four innings. Case loaded the bases with two out, then got on the board on a single by senior 2B Angel Rice (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick)and a walk to sophomore SS Beth Andrasik (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Nordonia). Miller got a pop-up to avoid further damage. The Judges tacked on three more runs, one in the fifth and two in the sixth, while junior Allie Mussen (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) retired the last six batter she faced after walking two in a row to secure the win.
Cagar (2-4, double, run scored) and Grimm (2-3, run scored, RBI) were the only multiple hitters for Brandeis. Miller earned her first collegiate win by allowing just three hits in five innings, walking three and striking out two. For Case, Sagartz was 2-2 with a run scored in addition to her performance in the circle.