Softball splits with Chicago in UAA action

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University softball team split a University Athletic Association doubleheader with the University of Chicago this afternoon, with the Judges taking the opener, 7-2, and the Maroons winning Game 2, 8-3.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 21-18, 8-9 UAA.

• Chicago: 18-20, 6-11 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1 (Brandeis 7, Chicago 2)

• The Judges rode a strong pitching performance from senior Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) to the win in Game 1.

• Kannan tossed her 43rd career complete game and earned her 36th career win, throwing seven innings of five-hit ball. She allowed two earned runs, struck out four and walked one, throwing 110 pitches. Kannan improved to 9-7 on the season by retiring the final 10 Maroon hitters in a row.

• Brandeis opened the scoring in the first inning thanks to a two-out, two-run double by senior Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo).

• The Judges took the lead for good in the third inning on an RBI groundout by senior Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C./Franklin Academy).

• Chicago scored its only two runs of the game in the top of the third thanks to a two-run home run by Natalie Antrim.

• The Judges blew things open in the fifth inning with four runs. Sophomore Jordan Wallace (Howell, N.J./Choate Rosemary Hall) drove in two runs in the frame, while Burdenski followed with an RBI single. Senior Elle Ehrlich (Falls Church, Va./Meridian) drew a bases-loaded walk to end the scoring.

• Burdenski finished the game going 2-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. She now has 107 career RBI, moving into sixth place on the Judges' all-time list.

• Wallace was 2-3 with two RBI, making her just the second Brandeis player with more than 60 RBI in a season. She entered the weekend ranked fourth in Division III in RBI and RBI per game.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2 (Chicago 8, Brandeis 3)

• In Game 2, Chicago took advantage of Brandeis miscues, as six of their eight runs were unearned.

• In the first inning, a missed tag of second on a force play enabled two runs to come home on a two-out single to short by Eleanor Johnson.

• Brandeis got a run back in the third on an RBI double by junior Katie Baydian (Massapequa, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy Academy).

• In the fourth, Chicago scored three more runs after a critical Judge miscue on a dropped pop-up that extended the inning. Melana Badea had an RBI single to start the scoring in the inning, while Olivia Cataldo added a two-run hit after the error to make it 5-1.

• Brandeis cut the deficit to 5-3 in the fifth on RBI hits from junior Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) and Wallace.

• Chicago's final three runs came after Brandeis failed to touch first on a comebacker to the circle, and the Maroons took advantage, with Audrey Hui doubling off the third-base bag to produce two of the runs.

• With her third RBI of the day, Wallace increased her season total to 62.

• Hunt scored two of Brandeis's three runs on the day, eclipsing 100 runs scored in her career. She is the 14th player in school history to reach the milestone.

• Hunt and Boehmer each ended the day with 45 runs scored, tied for fifth in a season in program history.

• First-year Madeline Jennings (New York, N.Y./Beacon) took the loss with four innings of work, allowing eight hits and five runs (one earned). She struck out two and walked one, falling to 6-9 on the season.

UP NEXT

• The Judges and Maroons are set to conclude their seasons tomorrow at noon.