CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- On Wednesday May 1st, the Brandeis University softball team went to the MIT Engineers for a double-header. The Judges dropped a tough loss in the opener, 2-1, before the Engineers secured a five inning 10-2 victory in the nightcap. Brandeis falls to 23-17 while MIT improves to 19-13 on the season.
The Judges sophomore center fielder Amanda Genovese (North Haven, Conn./ North Haven) was a big story through the losses as she went 3-for-7 with a run and five more stolen bases. With that performance, she moves into fourth all time in Division III for stolen bases in a single season with 56.
In the first contest, Brandeis was locked in a pitchers' duel with junior starter Melissa Nolan (Windsor, Conn./ Loomis Chaffee) on the mound. The Engineers struck first in the bottom of the third when rookie catcher Tori Jensen (Holliston, Mass./ Holliston) singled home sophomore shortstop Sarah Van Belleghem (Los Gatos, Calif./ Los Gatos) for the 1-0 lead. The Judges responded in the top of the fourth. Rookie 2B Danielle Novotny (Milford, N.J./ Delaware Valley) led off with a single and sophomore shortstop Anya Kamber (Sammamish, Wash./ Skyline) followed with a single of her own to make it first and second with no outs. After both runners moved into scoring position, Nolan delivered with an RBI groundout to score Novotny and knot the game at 1-1. Unfortunately, MIT's senior 3B Anna Christensen (Vernon Hills, N.Y./ Vernon Hills) came through with a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to give the Engineers a 2-1 lead that they would hold on to.
Brandeis' offense was led by Kamber who had an excellent 3-for-3 game at the plate while Genovese was 1-for-4 with three stolen bases. Nolan (9-6) took the loss despite six strong innings where she allowed two earned runs on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
MIT was led offensively by Van Belleghem who went 2-for-3 with both runs scored while Jensen and Christensen each picked up an RBI. Sophomore starter Ellie Fodor (Trenton, Mich./ Trenton) was excellent in her complete game victory, allowing one earned run on six hits with one walk and eight strikeouts to improve to 11-6 on the year.
In the second contest, the Judges senior starter Casey Ducinski (Duxbury, Mass./ Duxbury) had a rough outing. The Engineers racked up 10 runs on 13 hits against Ducinski as they cruised to a 10-2 win in five innings. Brandeis scored a run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, sophomore catcher Cori Coleman (Burr Ridge, Ill./ Hinsdale South) laced a two-out double. The next batter, rookie 3B Allison Mensh (Amherst, N.H./ Souhegan) followed with an RBI double. The double and RBI were the first of Mensh's career. In the top of the fifth, Genovese led off with a single and stole second. Two batters later, she scored when Kamber reached on an error.
The Judges were led by Genovese who went 2-for-3 with a run and two stolen bases and Coleman who was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Ducinski fell to 9-7 after 4 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
MIT was led by Van Belleghem who was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI and Jensen who was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Rookie starter Alexandra Marshall (Glen Head, N.Y./ North Shore) earned the win with four innings where she allowed one earned run on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts to move to 7-7 on the season.
Brandeis closes their regular season on Thursday May 2nd with a single game at home against Babson College with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. The Engineers begin their post season with a NEWMAC Tournament game against Wheaton College at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday May 4th at Springfield College.