PROVIDENCE, R.I. (courtesy RIC sports information) - The Brandeis University softball team avenged a pair of losses from last season today with a sweep of Rhode Island College, 9-3 and 6-5. With the wins, the Judges, ranked 18th in the latest NFCA poll, wrap up the road portion of their schedule with an 7-1 record in true road games and 14-4 away from home with neutral games included. Overall, the Judges, who were ranked second in New England in the most recent NCAA rankings, are 24-6-1, while RIC, #7 in the regional poll, falls to 24-9 as its longest losing streak in five seasons was extended to four games.
Brandeis junior third baseman Danielle Lavallee
(Sutton, Mass./Notre Dame Acad.) went 3-for-3 with two runs scored,
three RBI a double and a homer in the first tilt, while sophomore
first baseman Marianne Specker (South Windsor,
Conn./Westminster School) went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the second
contest. Senior pitcher Emily Vaillette (Milford,
N.H./Milford) factored in both decisions with a win and a save.
RIC junior first baseman Chelsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) went
3-for-6 with four RBI, a run scored and two doubles in a losing
effort.
The Anchorwomen took a 1-0 lead in game one as Panarelli doubled
in junior shortstop Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, R.I.) in the first.
The visitors stormed back with a three-run second, chasing senior
pitcher Jenna Deveines (Lowville, N.Y.) from the game. Lavallee got
the ball rolling with a solo homer to left - her first of the
season - while Specker and sophomore left fielder Brittany
Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) each singled
in a run.
RIC tied the game with a two-run third as sophomore third baseman
Cristina Bailey (Londonderry, N.H.) plated one with a sacrifice fly
and freshman designated player Kristina Gingell (Pascoag, R.I.)
knocked in another on an RBI ground out.
The Judges went ahead for good by scoring two runs in the fourth.
One came home on a wild pitch, while freshman designated player
Stacy Berg (Owings Mills, Md./McDonough) smacked
an RBI single.
A four-run seventh sealed the Anchorwomen's fate. Lavallee knocked
in a pair as part of the decisive frame. Vaillette picked up the
win (13-4), allowing just three runs on four hits to go along with
five strikeouts. Berard took the loss (9-5).
Brandeis had to hold off a furious, two-out comeback attempt by
RIC in the seventh inning of game two, after accumulating a
comfortable, 6-2, lead.
The Judges took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Specker RBI single.
The Anchorwomen answered back with two in the fourth with an RBI
double from Panarelli and a run-scoring sacrifice bunt by junior
designated player Laura DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.).
Two runs by the visitors in the fifth knocked sophomore starter
Kyla Puccini (North Dighton, Mass.) out of the game as Berard was
called upon once again. With runners on second and third and one
away, Specker delivered a two run single to center to put the
Judges up, 3-2.
A key two-out error allowed two Brandeis runs to score two in the
sixth and Berg knocked in what proved to be the game-winning run
with an RBI single in the seventh.
In the seventh, Brandeis sophomore starter Caroline
Miller (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) had the first two
Anchorwomen reach on her via an error and a single, but she induced
two fielder's choice ground outs to nearly end the game. She issued
a walk to Mattoon and Panarelli crushed a three-run double to
center to bring in all three baserunners and cut RIC's deficit to
just a run, 6-5. Vaillette came in and after a wild pitch allowed
Panarelli to move up to third, she got DeNoncour to ground out to
first to secure the win.
Miller got the win (7-2), allowing five runs, two of which were
earned, on six hits in 6.2 innings. Vaillette was credited with her
second save, while Puccini took the loss (6-3).
The Judges are back in action tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. when they take
on Emerson College, ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Northeast Region, at
home.