BRUNSWICK, Maine (courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information) - Playing their second doubleheader on the road in as many days, the Brandeis University softball team suffered a pair of 5-1 losses to Bowdoin College today. The Judges fall back to .500 with the losses at 15-15, while the Polar Bears improve to 19-10.
In the opener, Bowdoin and Brandeis played three scoreless innings before the Polar Bears would break through in the bottom of the fourth. Nicole Nelson's first double of the day cleared the bases and allowed Bowdoin to take the 3-0 lead. The Judges rebounded with a run in the top of the sixth. Junior Cori Coleman (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale South) ripped a double down the right field line, finding the corner, and advanced to third on a passed ball. With the runner in scoring position, sophomore Madison Sullivan (Dover, N.H./Dover) grounded out to second for the RBI. Bowdoin tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning as Adriane Krul knocked in a run, and Emily Griffin added an RBI single. Griffin returned to the rubber for the final inning and retired Brandeis in order with three groundouts.
The Polar Bears got on the board in the second inning of game two, sparked by a leadoff single from Hanna Wurgaft. With Wurgaft on third after a passed ball, a single by Tracy Shirey drove her home. Bowdoin added another run in the following inning as Nelson singled to center, allowing Griffin to score from third. Another Nelson double in the fifth allowed Griffin to score once more. With only one out, Julia Geaumont sent a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Nelson for the 4-0 lead. The Judges answered with a run in the sixth as rookie Liana Moss (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura) doubled to spark the rally. A single from sophomore Danielle Novotny (Milford, N.J./Delaware Valley) allowed Moss to score. The game's final run would come off the bat of Griffin in the bottom of the inning, as she slapped a fly ball that rolled to the center field fence for an inside-the-park home run.
Senior Melissa Nolan (Windsor, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) pitched the opening game for Brandeis, allowing eight hits with a pair of putouts and two walks. Junior Nikki Cote (Shelton, Conn./St. Josephs) earned three K's in six innings of work in game two, allowing 11 hits and a two of walks. Novotny paced the Brandeis offense with three hits and an RBI. Junior Anya Kamber (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) was the only other player with a multi-hit game, going 2-3 in the second contest.
Nicole Nelson paced Bowdoin's offense going 5-for-6 on the day with five RBI and a pair of doubles. Emily Griffin pitched all seven innings on the opening game, collecting three strikeouts with just one walk and a single earned run. Melissa DellaTorre was similarly successful in the nightcap, allowing just one run with eight strikeouts.
Bowdoin travels to the University of New England for a pair of games on April 23, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Judges will play at Clark on Tuesday starting at 3:00 p.m.