After winning their first eight games of the season, the Brandeis Judges softball team proceeded to win another four games over the weekend to push their winning streak to 12 games and make their record 12-0.
In the first of the four games over the weekend, the Judges faced Salem State University on April 23. The Judges proceeded to claim victory easily with a score of 8-0. Brandeis did not score for the first two innings, but they scored one run in the third inning when center fielder Melissa Rothenberg ’21 hit a double causing left fielder Bridget Cifuni ’21 to score. The Judges scored an additional three runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth inning. Cifuni had an interesting day as she did not have a single registered at bat. She walked three times in the game and scored two runs. Starting pitcher Sydney Goldman ’22 continued to be elite. Goldman allowed zero runs and only one hit in the complete game shutout. She also struck out 11 out of the 16 batters that she faced. This puts Goldman 5-0 on the season.
Game two against Salem State was closer, as the Judges won with a score of 4-2. The team was led by solo home runs from Rothenberg and third baseman Haley Nash ’24. Starting pitcher Rebecca Guerci ’24 was solid in her seven innings of work. Guerci struck out only two batters but also only allowed four hits.
On April 24, the Judges had two games against Johnson & Wales University. In the first game, Brandeis claimed victory, winning 5-2. The Judges scored two runs in the second and third innings and refused to give the lead up after that. Left fielder Alex Cohen ’24 had an incredible day at the plate. Cohen hit two solo home runs in the game. The first one was in the third inning and it was to right field. Her second home run in the fifth inning was to left field and put the Judges up 5-0. Nash also had a home run in the game. She also added two walks to her day. Goldman pitched a solid game. She pitched a complete game and allowed only two runs on six hits. This win puts her record at 6-0 for the season.
In their final game of the weekend, the Judges had a convincing victory against Johson & Wales. The Judges scored 12 runs on eight hits and allowed only one run, leading to a 12-1 win. In the top of the first inning, Johnson & Wales started off strong and had a run and the lead going into the bottom of the first inning. However, that lead would not last as the Judges proceeded to score six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Rothenberg started the game off with a walk and infielder Marley Felder ’22 proceeded to follow with a run scoring double. Felder would end the game with two hits and four runs batted in (RBI). Nash and infielder Alyssa Renskers ’22 also had two runs batted in RBIs in the game. The Judges were clearly working good at bats as they had 11 walks in the game. Cohen pitched the first three innings and only allowed two hits and one run. Pitcher Chandra Penton ’23 pitched the final two innings and allowed zero runs on four hits. At this game, the Judges also honored Cifuni with a Senior Day celebration. Other seniors Rothenberg and Fujita will return for the Judges next year as graduate students.
The Judges continued their excellence this past weekend with four wins. Both hitting and pitching were stellar over the weekend as there were a combined 29 runs scored in four games and only five runs allowed. So far, the Judges have not allowed more than two runs in a game. Nash and Goldman were named University Athletic Association Athletes of the week for the week of April 27. Goldman was named UAA softball pitcher of the week for the third week in a row. Nash was on fire during the week. She got a hit, scored a run and drove in a run during every game of the week.
On May 2, the Judges hope to continue this season’s success when playing a doubleheader against Tufts University.
