ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Brandeis University softball team dropped both games of their doubleheader today, falling to Washington University in St. Louis, 9-0 and 8-2. The Judges' record falls to 8-7 and 0-3 in conference play, while the Bears improve to 15-4 and 3-0 in the UAA.

In the first game, the Bears blanked the Judges, ending the game in five innings in a 9-0 win. Washington pitcher Jamie Burgasser only gave up one hit in her complete-game effort, while also notching five strikeouts. The lone Judges hit came from in the second inning off the bat of sophomore DP Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./Benjamin School) in a single to right field. Burgasser improved to 4-1 on the year with the win today. Brandeis senior starter Sydney Goldman (Sherman Oaks, Calif/Notre Dame) fell to 1-3 on the season, giving up one hit, two earned runs, walking four batters, and striking out one in one inning of action.

WashU got a three-hit, three-RBI performance from shortstop Kirsten Drabek. Her single to right-center in the bottom of the second proved to be the winner for the Bears. Center fielder Maggie Baumstark and left fielder Tami Wong both added two RBIs themselves, while catcher Payton Irwin added one. The other WashU run came in the bottom of the fourth when first baseman Nicole Hay scored her third run of the day on a wild pitch from Cohen.

In the second game, the Judges came out quicker, scoring on a single to right from senior left fielder Amidori Anderson (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs). However, with the bases loaded, WashU starter Madison Denton struck out the final batter of the inning to get out of the jam. Denton improved to 4-2 on the season, giving up four hits, two runs (only one of which was earned), three walks, and five strikeouts in a complete game. Brandeis starter first-year Madeline Gorey (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George) fell to 1-1 on the season, giving up nine hits, seven runs, one walk, and two strikeouts in five innings. Junior Chandra Penton (Newton Mass./Newton South) came in to finish the game out in the bottom of the sixth, giving up one hit and one unearned run in the inning.

Brandeis loaded the bases in the top of the first with singles from Cohen and graduate center fielder Melissa Rothenberg (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence). They later advanced due to a passed ball and were joined on the bases when junior first baseman Jamie Pippin (Redmond, Wash./Lake Washington) was walked. After Denton finished out that inning only giving up one run, the Judges remained scoreless until an unearned run by graduate shortstop Jolie Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) in the sixth inning and hitless until a single from first-year catcher Fiona Doiron (Charlton, Mass./Marianapolis Prep) in the seventh. Pippin joined Anderson as the two Judges with RBIs on the day, each notching one.

WashU third baseman Ashley Kennedy had a three-hit, four-RBI performance with all of her hits coming as doubles. Kennedy was joined by Drabek (2), Baumstark, and catcher Natalia Pilpil with RBIs for the Bears. Baumstark and second baseman Katie Gould also joined Kennedy with multi-hit performances, each with two.

The Judges return to action tomorrow, March 27, to finish out the series against Washington University at 12 p.m. Eastern/ 11 a.m. Central.

-- by Benton Ferebee '22