CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brandeis University softball team opened its 2018 conference campaign at Case Western Reserve University today, and the Judges dropped a pair against the Spartans, 8-0 and 3-1. Brandeis falls to 3-7 this season and 0-2 in the University Athletic Association, while CWRU improves to 15-6, 2-4 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)

• The Spartans used the long ball to score their first five runs. Sarah Miller hit a two-run blast of Brandeis sophomore Scottie Todd (Tampa, Fla./Strawberry Crest) in the second inning, and Grace Tritchler added a three-run blast in the fifth.
• Case Western Reserve ended things an inning early with a two-run single by Maren Waldner and an RBI double by Tritchler, both coming off reliever Sadie-Rose Apfel (Stamford, Conn./Westhill).
• Spartan pitcher Ilissa Hamilton improved to 6-3 on the season by holding the Judges to four hits in six innings. She struck out four and walked two.
• Rookie Bridget Cifuni (Georgetown, Mass. / Brooks School) had half of the Judges' hits, going 2-3 with a double.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)

• The Judges struck first in the second game, taking advantage of a CWRU error. With two out, junior catcher Keri Lehtonen (Oneco, Conn./Plainville) and rookie CF Melissa Rothenberg (Lawrenceville, N.J. / Lawrence) each singled.
• A wild pitch put them both in scoring position, and Lehtonen scored when rookie SS Jolie Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) reached on an error at first base. The Judges were unable to push home another run in the frame as the Spartans' Sidney Brannam induced a grounder to third to get out of the inning.
• The Spartans tied in the fifth inning when Miller hit her second home run of the day, this time off of Brandeis sophomore Callie MacDonald (Hanover, Mass./Hanover).
• The hosts got the game-winning runs in the bottom of the sixth when Nicole Carty blasted the team's fourth home run of the day, a two-run shot.
• Brannam held Brandeis to four hits for the second game in a row, improving to 7-3 on the season. She struck out one and allowed just the one unearned run.
• MacDonald suffered the loss, giving up seven hits and three earned runs over six innings to fall to 1-4 on the season.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis will meet Case Western Reserve for two more contests tomorrow at 1 p.m.