The Justice

Media Credit: David Sheppard-Brick / the Justice WINDING UP: Natalie Volpe '08 starts to deliver her pitch in Saturday's doubleheader against Bowdoin College.

Finding offensive opportunities wasn't a problem for the Judges in their home doubleheader against Bowdoin College Saturday, but their ability to cash in on those scoring chances dictated their success.

After failing to drive in several leadoff runners in an 8-4 loss in the first game, Brandeis climbed back up to .500 with a 4-1 victory after initially missing scoring opportunities but eventually breaking out offensively in the second game. The Judges are now 15-15 on the season. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Judges that included a 6-0 shutout Thursday against Curry College in which Brandeis mustered three hits.

"We put the ball in play in the first game and we continued to do that in the second game," coach Jessica Johnson said.

The Judges had trouble capitalizing on offensive opportunities in the first game, failing to drive in leadoff runners in the first and third innings. After falling behind 5-0 in the top of the second inning, their first three runs came in the bottom of the frame when second baseman Amelia Schimmel '09 singled in two runs before stealing home. Captain Kaitlin Streilein '07 hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but after it was too late to muster a comeback. Starting pitcher Natalie Volpe '08 recorded 10 strikeouts in the loss.

"In the first game, we didn't really help out [Volpe] as much as we could with defense or with the bats," Streilein said.

Initially, the Judges seemed like they were going to have another offensive dry spell in game two, missing opportunities to drive home leadoff runners in the fourth and fifth innings.

But the team broke its slump in the sixth inning, sending nine batters to the plate. Rookie Chelsea Korp '10 beat out a throw for a bunt single to start the inning. After Marissa Rubin '07 got caught looking on a low strike three, Volpe connected for a single on an offspeed pitch, putting runners on first and second with only one out. Streilein, who, except for one pinch-hit appearance, had batted leadoff since March 29, proved why she was moved back to the cleanup spot Saturday, following Volpe with another single to load the bases.

Continued...

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