On its final day of the season, the Brandeis softball team played three games. In the first game, an elimination game, they defeated Simmons College 3-1 and in the second game they defeated Endicott College 5-1 to force a decisive game for the ECAC Division III New England title. Unfortunately, the Judges fell into an early hole and could not recover, dropping the game 7-6.
In the title game, starting pitcher Caroline Miller ’12 showed some fatigue as she started her third game of the day. Endicott immediately jumped on Miller, scoring two runs in the first inning. Endicott sophomore second baseman Jesse Bilafer led off the inning with a hard comebacker to Miller, which she was able to beat out at first. Then sophomore third baseman Kelley Michael followed with a bunt single to third base, and both runners were able to advance to second and third respectively on a throwing error by the Judges.
Sophomore center fielder Alexandra Moise scored the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to deep left field and then two batters later, junior left fielder Byrne Katz hit a grounder through the left side to score another run.
The Endicott Gulls doubled their lead in the top of the third. Miller led off the inning, hitting Michael on a 1-2 pitch to put her on first base, and then two batters later, with runners on the corners, Katz hit an RBI single to left field. In the next at bat, junior catcher Krista Fales singled up the middle on a 0-2 pitch to drive in another run and chase Miller from the contest.
Brandeis responded in the bottom of the frame. Second baseman Leah McWilliams ’14 and right fielder Amanda Genovese ’15 both drew walks with one out in the inning. After Endicott starting pitcher Meg Donegan got a fly out to get the second out, Brittany Grimm ’12 doubled to left field to drive in the Judges’ first two runs of the game.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth frame, and then both tallied a run in the fifth inning.
Endicott entered the top of the sixth with a 5-3 lead and then quickly expanded their lead to 7-3 behind a series of strong at-bats; however, Brandeis once again responded with their own offensive outburst. After two singles and a walk, the Judges had the bases loaded with no outs. While the Judges were able to drive in two runs on groundouts, they wasted an opportunity to do more damage, leaving a runner on third base. Nonetheless, Brandeis entered the seventh and final inning down just two runs, 7-5.
After holding Endicott scoreless in the top of the frame, Brandeis had three outs to mount another rally. The Judges were able to score another run in the seventh on a single from Melissa Nolan ’14; however, the Judges stranded runners at third and second when Cori Coleman ’15 grounded out to end the game.
