WALTHAM, Mass. – Playing their first home games of the season and for just the second time in the month of March, the Brandeis University softball team scored runs in every inning as they swept visiting Lesley University in a non-conference doubleheader today, 11-0 in the opener and 14-3 in the nightcap. The Judges improve to 5-4 on the season, while the Lynx fall to 1-11.

HOW IT HAPPENED  - GAME ONE (11-0, 5 innings)

• The Judges got all the scoring they would need in the opening game with a run in the first. Sophomore catcher Keri Lehtonen (Oneco, Conn./Plainville) doubled to lead off the game. She moved to second on a bunt by junior CF Amanda Shore (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) and raced home on a pop-up by senior SS Madison Hunter (Parker, Colo./Legend) that was caught by the second baseman on the edge of right field.
• Rookie Scottie Todd (Tampa, Fla./Strawberry Crest) took over from there, holding the Lynx to just three hits and two walks over five innings. Todd struck out four and allowed just one runner past second base. She improved to 3-1 on the season and lowered her ERA to 0.88.
• Todd also hit her first career home run, going back-to-back with classmate PJ Ross (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) in the third inning. The homer was also the first of Ross's career. They were the first two round trippers of the season for the Judges.
• In all, the Judges finished with a season-high 15 hits, including three each for Ross (3-3, RBI, 2 R, HR) and rookie RF Taylor Simala (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) . Simala and rookie 1B Caroline Sippin (Coram, N.Y. / Longwood) each scored three runs for Brandeis.
• Lesley rookie 3B Ally Murphy (Raynham, Mass./Bridgewter-Raynham) was responsible for two of the Lynx's three hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO (14-3, 5 innings)

• The Judges rapped out 16 hits in game two, while rookie Callie MacDonald (Hanover, Mass. / Hanover) again limited the visitors to just three hits.
• Brandeis scored three runs in the first, highlighted by senior 1B Allison Hecht (Melville, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills East) launching her first home run of the season and the fifth of her career.
• The two-run job plated sophomore LF Marissa DeLaurentis (Centreach, N.Y./ St.John the Baptist Diocesesan), who preceded her with an RBI double.
• Shore knocked in runs in the second and third frames, with a two-run single by Hunter in the third making it 8-0 Brandeis.
• After MacDonald set down the first 10 Lesley hitters in order, the visitors got their first two baserunners on hits with one out in the fourth. With two aboard, Murphy delivered a home run to left-center field, the first of her career, cutting the Lynx deficit to 8-3.
• Brandeis responded with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, with the big blows a two-run single by Simala and a two-run triple by Shore.
• In the fifth, MacDonald set the side down in order for the fourth time to earn her first collegiate win. She struck out five and walked just one in the three-hit effort.
• Shore finished the day going 2-3 with a run scored, a triple and a career-high four RBI.
• Hunter (3-4, 3 RBI) and Lehtonen (3-4, RBI, 3 R) each had three-hit games.
• Lesley rookie Sarah Bushman (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest) suffered the loss in both games, tossing all eight innings for the Lynx.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis will play host to Case Western Reserve this weekend in the first-ever home UAA contests for the Judges.
• The UAA tournament had previously been played in Florida in early March – this is the first year of an on-campus round-robin format tournament.
• The games are currently scheduled to be played Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at noon, but those times are anticipated to change because of looming storms.
• Lesley is scheduled to play NECC doubleheaders at Mitchell on Saturday and home against Newbury on Sunday.