BRUNSWICK, Maine (courtesy Bowdoin sports information) - The Brandeis University softball team snapped Bowdoin's seven-game winning streak with a doubleheader sweep on Sunday afternoon at Pickard Field. The Judges took game one 7-3 before earning a 4-3 win in game two for their first road sweep of the season. Brandeis improves to 17-11 while Bowdoin falls to 20-10.
The Judges used a four-run fourth inning to take command in the opening contest, with rookie RF Amanda Genovese (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) delivering the big blow- a two out, bases loaded double that scored two runs to give the visitors a 5-1 lead. Bowdoin closed the gap to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth frame on an error and a Gen Barlow infield single, but Brandeis replied with two runs in the top of the seventh as senior 1B Marianne Specker (So. Windsor, Conn./Westminster School) and classmate CF Lauren Porcaro (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) lofted consecutive run-scoring doubles to seal the win.
Porcaro had three hits for the Judges, who got seven strong innings from senior Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton), who allowed just one earned run and three hits while striking out nine in the win. She improved to 9-4 on the season with the 31st win of her career.Melissa DellaTorre took the loss for Bowdoin after permitting 12 hits and seven earned runs over six frames. The Judges had 12 hits, seven of which were doubles from seven different players.
Brandeis jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap as sophomore pitcher Melissa Nolan (Windsor, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) blasted a solo home run - her first of the season and fourth of her career - and Genovese brought home sophomore 2B Leah McWilliams (Billerica, Mass./Billerica Memorial) with an infield single. Bowdoin rallied to take its only lead of the afternoon in the bottom of the fourth, when Amy Hackett brought home Barlow on a sac fly and Casey Correa followed with her third homer in as many days - a two run shot to left-center- to give the hosts a 3-2 edge. Porcaro answered in the top of the fifth for Brandeis with a leadoff solo home run to knot the score at three. It was her fourth of the campaign and 12 of her career, tied with teammate Brittany Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) for sixth on the Judges' all-time list.
The Judges manufactured the go-ahead run in the sixth when junior DP Casey Ducinski (Duxbury,bMass./Duxbury)led off with a single, went to second on a bunt and came home on a Grimm ground out to give the visitors a 4-3 lead.
Miller took over from there, tossing a perfect two innings in relief of Nolan, who started the game. Miller struck out five of Bowdoin's final six batters to earn the save, her second of the season and third of her career. Nolan went five frames to earn the victory, permitting three hits and three earned runs with eight strikeouts. Tricia Thibodeau took the loss for Bowdoin with four earned runs over seven innings of work. With another double and two home runs, 10 of Brandeis's 20 hits in the two games went for extra bases.