Worcester, MA --- Courtesy of WPI Sports Information Katherine Fitton (Lebanon, CT) launched a grand slam to propel WPI past Brandeis 10-2 and Courtney Kelley (Leicester, Mass/ Notre Dame Acad.) went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Judges in a 5-1 win over the Engineers in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Friday. WPI moves to 10-6, while Brandeis is now 6-11.
The first game began with the Judges looking to get on the board early. Brittany Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) and Marianne Specker (South Windsor, Conn./Westminster School) walked and would find themselves in scoring position with one out in the first. WPI pitcher Erin Flaherty (Stoughton, MA) fanned the next two batters to escape the inning.
The Crimson and Gray scored five runs in the third. Emily Hartzell (Brunswick, ME) walked and scored following an error and a pair of walks. With the bases loaded, Fitton connected on the round-tripper for the 5-0 lead.
In the fourth, Juliana Fekete (Belgrade, ME) doubled in a pair of runs and Erin Beaulieu (Bethany, CT) singled in another for the 8-0 advantage.
Maxie Hirschler (Bellmore, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) doubled on a first pitch of her at bat in the fifth and Grimm reached on an error. Carly Schmand (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) doubled to bring both runners in for the Judges.
The bottom of the sixth began with Fekete connecting on a 1-1 pitch and Beaulieu hitting a single to left field. Each base runner advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. Fitton's single to center brought in Fekete and a second wild pitch allowed Beaulieu to score the game-ending run.
Flaherty (5-2) struck out four and allowed four late hits in six innings of work for the victory. Melissa Nolan (Windsor, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) picks up the loss for the Judges as she gave up five runs (four earned) on one hit in 2 1/3 innings. Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) surrendered five runs on eight hits in relief for the visitors.
Game two began with Brandeis jumping ahead 3-0 in the opening frame. Schmand reached on an error and scored on a double by Hirschler. Specker walked and a ground out would enable her and Hirschler to cross the plate.
An inning later, Lauren Porcaro (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) led off with a double to right center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Schmand's single brought in Porcaro for the 4-0 advantage. The next inning Kelley singled to reach first and made her way around the diamond following a pair of walks and a wild pitch.
The Engineers finished the day's scoring in the bottom of the third as Allie Roche (Chelmsford, MA) singled and made her way home courtesy of a pair of wild pitches and a ground out.
Casey Ducinski (Duxbury, Ma./Duxbury) (3-2) picked up the win for the Judges going seven innings, striking out six and allowing one run on four hits. Christa Coscia (Lakeville, MA) went three innings and surrendered five runs (one earned) on five hits in the loss. Allie Hardy (West Townsend, MA) threw four innings of relief allowing four hits for the Engineers.
WPI heads to Babson tomorrow for a NEWMAC doubleheader beginning at noon, while Brandeis hosts Salem State tomorrow at noon.