WORCESTER, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team suffered its first sweep of the season today, falling to host WPI, 8-0 and 2-0. With the losses, the Judges fall to 8-4 on the season, while the Engineers improve to 8-6.
In the opener, the Engineers ended the game in five innings in the 8-0 win. Pitcher Katie Martin limited Brandeis to just three hits, only one of which went for extra bases, a double by junior DP Alex Cohen (West Palm Beach, Fla./Benjamin School) in the fourth inning. Martin struck out five and did not walk a batter in improving to 5-3. Brandeis sophomore starter Rebecca Guerci (Roslyn, N.Y. / Herricks) took the loss, going four innings and allowing eight hits and eight runs, only four of which were earned. She walked three and struck out one, falling to 1-2 on the season.
WPI got a two-hit, four-RBI performance from 3B Shaina Lazarus, whose two-run home run in the first was all the hosts needed. Lazarus added a sacrifice fly in the third and a run-scoring single in the fourth that provided the Engineers' eight-run margin. Centerfielder Sydney Russell added two RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot of the order.
In the second game, Brandeis outhit WPI, 8-2, but the Judges were unable to come up with the big hit they needed. Brandeis left the bases loaded in first, third, and fourth innings, but WPI hurler Kelly Pritchard was able to get out of trouble each time.
Meanwhile, the Engineers took advantage of their only two hits of the game, which came in the first inning. Russell led off the game with a triple, scoring on an overthrow that tried to get her at third. Three batters later, Lazarus drove in her fifth run of the day with a double that plated SS Lindsay Ambrosino, who had walked and stolen second.
Brandeis senior Sydney Goldman (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame) settled down after that. After issuing a leadoff walk in the second, she retired 15 in a row, finishing with six strikeouts. WPI reliever Sophia Togneri nearly matched Goldman over the final three innings, allowing one hit and one walk while fanning five to earn the save.
The Judges had a pair of multiple hitters in the second contest, as graduate students CF Melissa Rothenberg (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) and SS Jolie Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) each had two singles.
The Judges return to action on Friday afternoon when they are in St. Louis for a four-game University Athletic Association series, the first UAA game since 2019.