WALTHAM, Mass. — The Brandeis University softball team dropped a pair of contests in their home-opening doubleheader with Wellesley College today. The Judges were unable to overcome a big sixth inning by the Blue in dropping the opener, 9-6, and in the nightcap were held to just one hit by sophomore Amber Braun (Jupiter, Fla./Suncoast).
Brandeis (10-8) fell despite two fine performances from members of their junior class. Center fielder Amanda Genovese (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) went 4-for-6 on the day with a triple, three runs scored and the 99th stolen base of her career. Shortstop Anya Kamber (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) drove in five of the Judges' seven runs on the day, including a three-run home run in the first game that gave Brandeis a temporary 4-1 lead, and a sacrifice fly in the first inning of game two.
It wasn't enough to keep up with Wellesley (8-6), who won their sixth-straight game in New England as seven different players recorded multiple-hit games in the twinbill. Senior 1B Jayne Ellis (Mishawaska, Ind./Penn) led the Blue by going 4-for-7 with five RBI and three doubles in the two games.
Wellesley also hit three home runs on the afternoon. Junior shortstop Emilyrose Havrilla (Caldwell, N.J./Mount St. Dominic Acad.) and senior DP Jennifer Migliore (Saugus, Mass./Governor's Acad.) went back-to-back in game one, erasing a three-run deficit in the top of the sixth inning. Rookie Ashyn Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal) added some late insurance in the second contest with a two-run blast.
Both games were sloppily played, with a total of 12 unearned runs being scored. After tying the first game on the back-to-back homers, the Blue added four more unearned runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead. Brandeis got two unearned runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, but it wasn't enough as Wellesley tacked on one more unearned run on the seventh and senior Lindsay Johnson (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome) closed the door to improve to 4-3. Judge junior Nikki Cote (Shelton, Conn./St. Joseph's) gave up five unearned runs to suffer the loss and fall to 2-4.
In game two, after Wellesley touched up Brandeis rookie Emma Krulick (Maitland, Fla./Winter Park) for five runs, Braun faced just one batter over the minimum in the second game. Genovese led off with terrific bunt single, moved all the way to third on a sacrifice by sophomore Madison Gagnon (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake) and scored on Kamber's sacrifice fly to right. Braun then retired the side in order the rest of the way, throwing just 54 pitches, 36 for strikes. She struck out two and improved to 4-3 on the season. Rookie LF Anna Pisac (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish) drove in four of the Blue's 11 runs as five hitters had two hits apiece. Ellis and Coleman each drove in two runs.
Brandeis returns to action tomorrow against Endicott College for a 3 p.m. doubleheader at home. Wellesley faces Babson in a key NEWMAC showdown Friday at 2 3 p.m.