Spring Break
SOFTBALL: Team walks its way to win
by Julie Ganz
Sports editor
Sports | 4/8/08
Posted online at 2:12 AM EST on 4/8/08
With the bases loaded and the score tied at four in the sixth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against Worcester Polytechnic Institute last Wednesday, the softball team wasn't able to capitalize and score the go-ahead run. When the same situation arose in the seventh and final inning, third baseman Danielle Lavallee '11 made sure the Judges wouldn't waste their opportunity again.
Lavallee walked on four pitches, sending pinch-runner Erin Thorn '11 home for the winning run to give Brandeis a 5-4 victory.
"For a [rookie] to be in that situation and have that discipline and that patience I think is a great thing to see," coach Jessica Johnson said.
The Judges also won 9-1 in the first game of the doubleheader, which ended in five innings. Their record is now 8-7-1 on the season, and they are above .500 for the first time since March 13, when they were 4-3.
Last Friday's doubleheader against Framingham State College was rescheduled to April 23 due to rain, while last Saturday's doubleheader against Clark University was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled. A doubleheader against Regis College yesterday was postponed when Regis did not have enough players to field a team.
WPI struck in the first inning of the second game when junior center fielder Nicole Maglione homered off pitcher Natalie Volpe '08. WPI added another run in the third on senior third baseman Nicole DeCampo's single to take a 2-0 lead.
"They adjusted to our pitching quicker than we did [to theirs]," Johnson said. "They started off with a home run, and that was a well-hit ball, and I think that kind of set the tone for them."
Volpe gave up two more runs in the top of the fifth inning before pitcher Kate Streilein '08 relieved her. With runners on first and second base, Streilein retired the next two batters to escape the jam.
"I think that's another good experience for [Streilein], where she can kind of tuck that away and say 'You know, I can come in in this situation and get the job done,'" Johnson said.
Lavallee walked on four pitches, sending pinch-runner Erin Thorn '11 home for the winning run to give Brandeis a 5-4 victory.
"For a [rookie] to be in that situation and have that discipline and that patience I think is a great thing to see," coach Jessica Johnson said.
The Judges also won 9-1 in the first game of the doubleheader, which ended in five innings. Their record is now 8-7-1 on the season, and they are above .500 for the first time since March 13, when they were 4-3.
Last Friday's doubleheader against Framingham State College was rescheduled to April 23 due to rain, while last Saturday's doubleheader against Clark University was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled. A doubleheader against Regis College yesterday was postponed when Regis did not have enough players to field a team.
WPI struck in the first inning of the second game when junior center fielder Nicole Maglione homered off pitcher Natalie Volpe '08. WPI added another run in the third on senior third baseman Nicole DeCampo's single to take a 2-0 lead.
"They adjusted to our pitching quicker than we did [to theirs]," Johnson said. "They started off with a home run, and that was a well-hit ball, and I think that kind of set the tone for them."
Volpe gave up two more runs in the top of the fifth inning before pitcher Kate Streilein '08 relieved her. With runners on first and second base, Streilein retired the next two batters to escape the jam.
"I think that's another good experience for [Streilein], where she can kind of tuck that away and say 'You know, I can come in in this situation and get the job done,'" Johnson said.
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