STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Brandeis University softball team needed extra innings, but the Judges got a stellar pitching performance and a key RBI double from sophomore Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./Benjamin School) in a 3-2 University Athletic Association win over New York University at the College of Staten Island today. With the win, the Judges improve to 21-14 overall, 7-10 in the UAA. The Violets fall to 11-19, 5-10 UAA.
The game was tied at 1-all headed into the late innings, with both teams scoring their runs in the fourth inning. The Judges had four singles in the frame, with the last coming off the bat of junior 1B Jamie Pippin (Redmond, Wash./Lake Washington) to drive in grad student CF Melissa Rothenberg (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence). NYU answered with an RBI single by 3B Samantha Burggraf.
The Violets had chances to win the game in the seventh and ninth innings before reaching the international tiebreaker rule in the 10th, but Brandeis extended the contest each time. In the seventh, with a runner on second and one out, catcher Lily Candelaria dropped a single in front of Brandeis senior Amidori Anderson (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs) in left field. Anderson dove to try to make the catch, and deflected the ball to senior 2B Marley Felder (Miami, Fla./American Heritage School). Felder fired home and caught pinch runner Olivia de Hesselle trying to score from second, with first-year catcher Tristan Boyer (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) making a nice tag at the plate.
In the ninth inning, Burggraf singled and DH Madi Hand doubled to right to put two runners in scoring position. Cohen escaped without allowing a run, getting a line drive to second on a leaping catch by Felder; a bunt at the plate on a suicide squeeze that eliminated Burggraf; and a swinging strikeout to shut the door.
In the top of the 10th, with a runner placed at second base, grad student SS Jolie Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) laid down a bunt that was thrown away, allowing the go-ahead run to school. After Felder bunted Fujita to second, Cohen followed with a crucial RBI double to left that just missed being a home run, making it 3-1, Brandeis. NYU scored their runner from second thanks to a pair of fly balls that advanced her to third and home, but Cohen got a grounder to third to end the game.
Cohen was the player of the game for the Judges. At the plate, she went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a double. Cohen was the only multi-hitter for Brandeis, while Fujita's double was the team's only other extra-base hit. In the circle, Cohen pitched a career-high 10 innings and tied her career-best with 11 strikeouts in the process. She allowed six hits and one earned run, walking three and hitting two batters. Cohen was the first Judge pitcher to throw double digit innings in a game since March 24, 2012, when Caroline Miller '12 threw 11 against Salem State. Cohen improved to 10-4 on the season.
NYU was led by CF Erin Scott, who went 2-4 with a run and an RBI at the plate, and Burggraf, who was 2-4 with an RBI. Violet starting pitcher Marina Egbert was a hard-luck loser, falling to 6-10 on the season after allowing three runs (one earned) in 9.1 innings of work. She allowed seven this and struck out six without walking a batter.
Brandeis and NYU will meet tomorrow for two more games in their four-game UAA series, starting at 11 a.m.