Brandeis Seals a Pair of Wins Over Lasell

NEWTON, MA- Brandeis University softball used 14 hits, including eight doubles, to secure a 9-0 shutout of Lasell College in game one of Thursday's doubleheader and then added eight more hits, including five doubles, in a 9-6 edging of the Lasers in game two.  The Judges were led by Brittany Grimm (Perkomenville, PA) who went 7-for-8 with three runs, four RBI, and three doubles over the course of the day as Brandeis improves to 11-12.  Lasell drops to 2-14 after the non-league twin bill.

Freshman pitcher Melissa Nolan (Windsor, CT) earned the win in game one hurling for five innings of work, giving up just three hits and one walk in the shutout.  Nolan sat down eight batters on strikes facing 17 total batters.  Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, PA) came in to close the game in the final inning, picking up one strikeout.

It was the 4th inning that did in the Lasers in game one as seven hits, including six doubles, were produced as the Judges batted around the order, producing a 6-0 lead. Three back-to-back-to-back two-base hits were knocked by Grimm, Samantha Gajewski (Elkridge, MD) and Courtney Kelley (Leicester, MA) to put a 2-0 edge up with no outs.  After a fly out and a ground out, Lauren Porcaro (Shrewsbury, MA) and Marianne Specker (So. Windsor, CT) added two additional doubles and Carly Schmand (Bethesda, MD) added a base hit.  Grimm sent her second double of the inning, and third hit of the game, into the outfield for the final hit of the frame. 

Three more runs, including one unearned, were scored in the top of the 6th.  Specker and Scmand both got base hits set up the seventh and eighth runs.  Grimm earned an RBI sending Specker home with a slice into left field and another Gajewski double scored Schmand. Gejewski would eventually score, unearned, on a passed ball. 

Grimm went 4-for-4 in the game with one run, one RBI, and two doubles while Gajewski went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and two doubles.  Schmand and Specker added two hits, one run, and one RBI each.

For Lasell, Rachelle Haas (Middleton, MA) and Kelly Silvia (Oak Bluffs, MA) each recorded one hit int he game while Candace Hankard (Wakefield, MA) had a hit and a walk.  

Kirsten Mammola (North Reading, MA) pitched through six innings for Lasell, allowing eight earned runs while retiring one batter on strikes. 

In game two, Brandeis jumped out to a 6-1 lead through three innings on 11 hits and two errors.  

Schmand started off the Judges by reaching second base on her first hit of the contest and Grimm ran her in with a single into right field.  Gajewski's third double of the day plated Grimm but a double play by the Lasers fielders left one runner on base without further damage.

Three more Brandeis runs rounded the bags in the second on five hits followed by one run which was tacked on in the third. Specker and Kelley added a pair of doubles for the Judges, bringing their total two-base hits for the day to 12.  

Lasell got on the board for the first time in the third frame when Talia DeChiara (Kingston, MA) singled to reach base and then moved around the bases on a miscue in the Judges' outfield.  A sacrifice hit by Hankard scored DeChiara for the RBI.

Hankard struck again in the 6th with a double to lead off during the inning in which the Lasers bats finally awakened.  Mammola followed with a base-hit into right and Marissa McHugh (Plymouth, MA) drove one through the left side to score Hankard.  

After Mammola was called out at home on a Silvia fielder's choice, and Courtney Moen (Brookfield, MA) took first base on balls, Jaqueline Saluti (Braintree, MA) unleashed a single that scored McHugh and Silvia.  Moen eventually scored, unearned, on a catcher's error to bring the Lasers within one run of the Judges, 6-5. 

Brandeis established a four-run advantage in the final inning after another Grimm RBI-double, a Kelley RBI-single, and a Laser error.  

Lasell's last-ups began with a crack by Hankard deep over the left field fence, her second home run of the year.  Mammola and Silvia walked but were left on base after a double-play by the Brandeis defense and a strike out by Casey Ducinski (Duxbury, MA) concluded the double header. 

Grimm added three hits on four chances, along with two runs and three RBI in the nightcap.  Schmand went 2-for-4 with three runs and Kelley went 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI. 

Hankard went 2-for-4 in the second contest, including one double and the only home run of the day, scoring twice and plating two additional runs.  Saluti earned two RBI on one hit and McHugh added one RBI and one run on her solo knock.  DeChiara and Haas both added a hit in the defeat.

Ducinski put in a seven inning effort, permitting eight hits and four earned runs with five strikeouts, to produce the victory. 

Lasell's freshman Samantha Whynot (Randolph, MA) tossed all seven innings, sending three batters back to the dugout on strikes and allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits.  

On Saturday, April 2nd Lasell will return to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action when they host St. Joseph College of Connecticut at noon for a doubleheader.