WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Case Western Reserve University was able to hold off the Judges, as the Spartans took a 2-1 victory in the opener of a University Athletic Association softball series Friday afternoon at Marcus Field.
The game quickly turned into a pitcher's duel between Brandeis sophomore starter Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./Benjamin School) and Case Western Reserve hurler Lexi Miskey. Cohen threw 88 pitches, 66 of them for strikes, as she allowed just four hits and two runs while striking out 11 Spartan batters. Miskey collected 10 strikeouts as she finished with 94 pitches, including 70 strikes, while giving up five hits and one run. Neither pitcher allowed a walk during the afternoon.
CWRU (18-8, 10-2 UAA) struck first in the top of the fourth inning as Liv Thomas hit a high fly ball that landed over the fence in center field. Cohen struck out the side in the fifth inning before allowing a two-out double to Stevie Rieger in the sixth inning, but, after Rieger stole third base, Spartan pinch hitter KaiLi Gross fell victim to another Cohen strikeout to end the scoring threat.
The Spartans added a crucial insurance run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run hit by Isabella Russo over the centerfield fence.
After Miskey retired the first two Brandeis batters in the bottom of the seventh on a strikeout and a flyout, Judges first-year DP Anna Kolb (Alexandria, Va./Thomas A Edison) reached base on a Spartan throwing error, and grad student DP Melissa Rothenberg (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) followed with a shot off the fence in left field for a double, driving in Kolb to bring the potential game-winning run to the plate. First-year catcher Tristan Boyer (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) hit a line drive to left field that had the potential to be a hit, but Rieger snagged the ball for the final out.
All four Spartan hits and three of the Judges' five hits went for extra bases. Of Cohen's 11 strikeouts, 10 of them came on a swinging third strike, while Miskey picked up six strikeouts on a swinging third strike and four punchouts on a called third strike.
Brandeis (19-12, 5-8 UAA) continues to host Case Western Saturday, April 16, with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. The series finale Sunday, April 17, is set to start at 11 a.m. and is Senior Day for the Judges.
--courtesy Jason Behenna, Regis Sports Information