WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team split a pair of tight pitcher's duels today in a doubleheader with Endicott College. The visiting Gulls took the opener, 2-1, before the Judges claimed a 1-0 victory in the nightcap.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 12-9.
• Endicott: 14-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME ONE (Endicott 2, Brandeis 1)

• Both teams managed five hits each, but both were held scoreless until the sixth inning in a duel between Brandeis rookie Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) and Endicott senior Maria Hanchuk.
• With two down in the top of the sixth, RF Lauren Misiaszek singled to center field. 1B Chloe Shapleigh followed with a drive off the wall in right, allowing Misiaszek, who had been running on the pitch, to score from first.
• Brandeis put two runners on with two out against Hanchuk in the bottom of the sixth, but she got out of trouble with a harmless fly to center.
• The Gulls got a key insurance run the top of the seventh when CF Christina Nowicki drilled a home run to left field, her first of the season, to make it 2-0.
• The Judges rallied in their final at-bat. After Hanchuk retired the leadoff hitter, first-year LF Elle Ehrlich (Falls Church, Va / Meridian) singled to short, followed by a double to left from sophomore catcher Tristan Boyer (Chesapeake, Va. / Grassfield) that put two runners in scoring position.
• Hanchuk hit the next batter, sophomore Anna Kolb (Alexandria, Va. / Thomas A. Edison) with a pitch to load the bases. Senior RF Lily Medici (New City, N.Y. / Clarkstown North) lofted a ball to right that wasn't quite deep enough for a sacrifice fly.
• With two down, first-year CF Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C. / Franklin Academy) singled solidly to left. Ehrlich scored easily, but Misiaszek's throw to the plate beat the runner from second as Raven Comtois put on a tag to end the game.
• Kannan suffered the hard-luck loss, falling to 8-4 on the season, as she allowed five hits and two earned runs in seven innings. She struck out nine and walked one with one hit batter.
• Hunt and Boyer each accounted for two of the Judges' five hits.
• Hanchuk improved to 5-3 with a seven-inning five-hitter. She struck out five and walked one with two hit batters.
• Five different Gulls finished with hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME TWO (Brandeis 1, Endicott 0)

• Game two was even more of a pitcher's duel between Brandeis junior Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) and EC's Jaylin Couto.
• Cohen faced just four batters over the minimum in seven innings. She struck out six and did not walk a batter, allowing two hits, with one Gull reaching on an error and another on a fielder's choice.
• Cohen threw 63 of her 83 pitches for strikes and her second career shutout and 13^th complete game. She evened her record this season to 4-4.
• Couto also faced just four batters more than the minimum, allowing four hits over six innings. She struck out four without a walk and fell t 5-3 on the campaign.
• Three of Brandeis's four hits came in the second inning. The only run was plated on a solo home run to center field by first-year 1B Maddie Manes (San Clemente, Calif / San Juan Hills). It was her second homer of the season and her career.
• The Judges followed with a double by junior 3B Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) and single by Cohen with one out, but Couto got a liner to short and a pop to center to end the threat.
• Endicott only got one runner past first base all game, in the seventh inning. Comtois led off with a single for her second hit of the game. Misiaszek followed with a fielder's choice to short, and Cohen struck out the next batter.
• Endicott SS Emma DaSilva hit another grounder to short that was smothered, but Misiaszek beat the throw to second. Cohen went on to get the final out on a foul pop to first.
• The win snapped a seven-game skid for the Judges.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis faces a four-game University Athletic Association series with NYU. The Judges and Violets are currently tied for second in the UAA.