ATLANTA, Ga. – In the finale of a four-game University Athletic Association series, the Brandeis University softball team suffered their first shutout of the season, 5-0, at the hands of Emory University as the Eagles salvaged a split in the series.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 11-3, 6-2 UAA.
• Emory: 14-12, 4-3 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Two of the first three Judges of the game reached base, but they weren't able to convert, as both were stranded in scoring position.
• Emory broke through in the second inning as CF Paige Nellis led off with a double and scored two batters later when she beat a throw home on a comebacker to starting pitcher Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School). Cohen got a strikeout for the second out, but RF Abby Sekoff doubled to drive in a second run.
• Cohen singled with two away in the third and moved to second on a passed ball, but was unable to advance any further.
• Emory added to their lead with three straight hits to start the bottom of the third, scoring on a double by Natalie Swift and a single by Ella Hoyle.
• Brandeis coach Dani Bishop summoned first-year Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) into the circle, and though Nellis greeted her with a double, the Judges cut down Hoyle at the plate trying to score from first. Kannan retired the next two batters to end the trouble.
• The Judges threatened to break through in the fourth when junior 3B Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) led off with a triple, but Emory's McKenzie Duford came up with a pop-up and two strikeouts to maintain the shutout.
• The Eagles tacked on an unearned run in the bottom of the frame to make if 5-0.
•  Duford allowed three more Brandeis base-runners, but none got past second base as the hosts avoided their first-ever series loss to the Judges.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Cohen and first-year SS Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) each had two hits for the Judges, with Burdenski adding a double and Nash a triple for Brandeis's only extra-base hits.
• Cohen suffered the loss in the circle, allowing five hits and four earned runs in two innings of work. She struck out two and did not walk a batter. Cohen's record evens at 3-3.
• Kannan allowed four hits and one unearned run in four frames. She struck out one.
• Hoyle and Nellis each had two hits in the game, with both of Nellis's hits being doubles.  
• Duford improved to 11-3 on the season with a complete-game shutout effort. She allowed six hits and two walks, striking out three. Duford threw 59 of her 90 pitches for strikes.

UP NEXT

• The Judges' next six games come against nationally-ranked foes – a Wednesday non-conference doubleheader at #10 Tufts followed by another four-game UAA set at #8 Case Western Reserve next weekend.