Waltham, MA --- In a pseudo doubleheader on Monday afternoon, the WPI softball team dropped a pair of games at Brandeis. The Engineers officially fell in eight innings in a game that was started on March 22 and halted in the sixth inning followed by a 14-6 six inning defeat in game two.
The offense immediately got going for both teams in game one with WPI (9-12-1) earning a run in the top of the seventh thanks to a
Destiny Lum (Kahalu'u, HI) roundtripper, but Brandeis (13-14) answered back ultimately picking up the win. A six-run third inning sealed the run rule victory for the Judges in game two.
Sydney Russell (Arlington, VA) finished with a 2-for-4 outing with one run scored an a pair of runs driven in in game two while
Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, MA) added a 1-for-3 day also with a run scored and a pair of RBIs.
Naomi Boldebuck (Billerica, MA),
Shaina Lazarus (Thousand Oaks, CA) and
Kaitlyn Barr (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) all pitched in the loss with Boldebuck picking up the decision.
Game One
March 22nd's game restarted in the seventh inning where Lum started off the inning with a bang to gain an 8-7 lead with her second home run of the season.
Brandeis played small ball evening out the score in the bottom of the seventh before the Engineers threw another two runs on the board in the top of the eighth.
Meg Sherwood (Norfolk, MA) was placed on second to start off the inning and moved right over to third thanks to a bunt from Fairbairn.With runners on the corners, Fairbairn stole second and Lazarus walked to load the bases for Russell who drove in a run.
Emma Nagy (Monroe, WA) reached on a fielder's choice that brought home another run to make it a 10-8 game.
But with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth,
Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, PA) came through with a bases-clearing double to left field on an 0-2 count as the Judges came away with the win.
Game Two
In game two, WPI was once again the first to get on the board with a four run top of the second inning. Nagy doubled to right field to start the inning off and was joined on base by Lazarus who was hit by a pitch before Sherwood loaded the bases with a walk. Fairbairn singled to left field driving in a pair of runs before Russell doubled down the leftfield line for the other duo of runs prompting a Brandeis pitching change.
The Judges answered back in the bottom of the third with their six run inning and added another run in the fourth before WPI was able to get back on the board. In the fifth inning, Lazarus sent a double to left that brought home
Mia Francisco (Hudson, NH) to make it a 7-5 game. But Brandeis put the game out of reach with a four run bottom half of the frame.
WPI added one back in the sixth as a
Riley O'Brien (Wynantskill, NY) double to left brought home Russell but Brandeis closed things out adding three runs in the sixth including a pair via bases loaded walks to end the ballgame.
Next Up
WPI will continue their play with a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader at crosstown rival Worcester State beginning at 4pm. Brandeis will look to keep the momentum going with a four-game series at home against Case Western beginning Friday, April 19 at 3pm.
Box Score of Resumption of Suspended Game from March 22nd
Box Score of Regularly Scheduled Game
