ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - On March 11, in a University Athletic Association contest, the Brandeis University softball team was defeated by #15 Washington University, 11-3. With the loss, Brandeis falls to 1-4, 0-2 in the UAA, while Washington climbs to 4-2, 2-0 in the UAA.
The story of the game was Brandeis' five errors which Washington capitalized on resulting in 10 runs. The Bears started the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning. Junior SS Megan Fieser (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) singled up the middle with one out and then stole second base. Junior 3B Carter Malouf (Minneapolis, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) then reached third on an error by the right fielder which scored Fieser. CF Ashton Hitchcock (Normal, Ill./ Normal University) followed it up with a sacrifice fly to the right field to drive in Molouf from third.
Brandeis came back in the top half of the second inning as they saw three players cross the plate. The offensive was started by a lead-off single up the middle by rookie SS Brittany Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley). Junior C Erin Ross (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) followed it up with a two-run home run to level the score at 2-2. With no outs, sophomore 1B Courtney Kelley (Leicester, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) walked and moved over to third on a bunt single by junior LF Chelsea Korp (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name). Sophomore 2B Melisa Cagar (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) produced the third run of the inning on a RBI single driving in Kelley to put the Judges up 3-2.
The Bears answered in the bottom half of the third inning to tie up the game. Fieser reached on another Brandeis error and then later was driven in by a single up the middle by Hitchcock. Junior P Emily Vaillette (Milford, N.H./Milford) got Cavarra to hit into an inning-ending double play and kept the score tied, 3-3, heading into the fourth. Vaillette gave up just one earned run in 4.1 innings on nine hits. She also had one walk and one strikeout in the losing effort.
Washington came out in the bottom half of the fifth inning and put up eight runs on six hits and two errors to end the game, 11-3. The Judges were held to no hits after their three-run second inning.
Brandeis will play Washington again this Friday, March 13 at 12:30 PM in Florida.