ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – The Brandeis University softball
team split a pair of University Athletic Association (UAA) contests
today, defeating Case Western Reserve University, 6-2, in
today’s opener before falling to Washington University, 6-1,
in the day’s second contest.
Brandeis (3-6, 3-4 UAA) opened the day with a bang, scoring three
runs in each of their first two innings against Case (3-7, 0-6
UAA). Sophomore 2B Melisa Cagar (Ridgewood,
N.J./Ridgewood) created the Judges’ first run with an infield
single and a steal of second. She moved to third on a single by
senior Vicki Roomet (Jamaica, N.Y/Francis Lewis)
and scored on a double-steal. After rookie SS Brittany
Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) singled and a
ground-out moved runners to second and third, senior 3B
Samantha Worth (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry)
drove in two runs with a base hit to right.
After the Spartans got one run back in the second on a wild pitch
with the bases loaded, Brandeis struck for three more in the
second. Sophomore pitcher Erin Thorn (Perkasie,
Pa./Pennridge) tripled to open the frame and came home on an RBI
single by junior LF Chelsea Korp (Worcester,
Mass./Holy Name). Cagar singled to put runners on first and second,
but Case looked to avoid trouble on a line-drive double play off
the bat of Roomet. However, Grimm was able to coax a walk, and she
and Cagar scored on a double to center field by junior catcher
Erin Ross (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan), pushing the
lead to 6-1. Case got another run back in the third inning on a RBI
by LF Lauren Wolz, but Brandeis reliever Allie
Mussen (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) came in and shut down
the Spartans, holding them hitless over the final four innings to
pick up a save on Thorn’s win.
Eight of the Judges’ nine starters had hits, with
Cagar’s 2-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases the
only multiple-hit performance. Ross and Worth both had two RBI, and
Thorn’s triple and Ross’s double were the only other
extra-base knocks. Thorn was credited with the win, with three
innings pitched, three hits and two earned runs, striking out four
and walking two. Mussen fanned one and walked two in four innings
of action for the save.
In the second contest, it was Washington University with a pair of
crooked numbers, as the Bears scored two runs in the second and
four in the fifth as part of their 13-hit attack against Brandeis
junior Emily Vaillette (Milford, N.H./Milford).
WashU strung together four singles to produce two runs in the
second, with a nice play at home by Ross preventing further
damage.
The Judges stranded two runners in the second and the Bears did
the same in the third before blowing the game open in the fifth.
They tallied four runs on three hits and two errors with only a
couple of balls leaving the infield. Brandeis had one big chance to
get back in the contest in the sixth, loading the bases with one
out, but WashU rookie hurler Olivia Cook induced a pair of flyouts
to get out of the jam. Cagar went deep in the seventh inning, her
first round-tripper of the season and the fifth of her career to
spoil the shutout bid. Cagar finished the day going 5-for-8 in the
two contests with three runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore 1B
Courtney Kelley (Leicester, Mass./Notre Dame
Acad.) also had an extra-base hit, doubling in the fifth inning.
Softball downs Case, 6-2, and falls to WashU, 6-1
Posted: Mar 13, 2009