Brandeis,Softball Draws Split In Thursday Night Twinbill

Worcester, MA --- Worcester State and Brandeis split a non-conference doubleheader this evening at Rockwood Park.

Senior Lauren Porcaro (Shrewsbury, MA) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs to highlight a 13 hit attack to the Judges win the opener, 6-1, before junior Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, MA) hit a double and a triple to pace the Lancers to a 4-2 victory in the nightcap.

Brandeis (20-14) went up 2-0 in the top of the second on an RBI single by fourth-year Megan DeNubila (Princeton, MA) and a run producing ground-out by junior Casey Ducinski (Duxbury, MA) for the Judges took advantage with the bases loaded.

After the visitors did their damage, WSU sophomore Kelly Winter (Attleboro, MA) would do a good job of shutting down Brandeis over the next four frames as she left runners at second and third both the fourth and the fifth innings.

In the top of the seventh, the Judges finally broke open the game when they put up a crooked number. Ducinski started the inning with a triple down the right field line and then freshman Amanda Genovese (N. Haven, CT) drove her in with an infield single.

Senior Brittany Grimm (Perkimenville, PA) followed with a two-run blast for her sixth this season and classmate Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, PA) tacked on the final run with an RBI double for the 6-1 advantage.

Despite struggling with her location throughout the early goings of the contest, Miller limited the Lancers to one base-knock and two walks over her first five innings of work. Miller also fanned nine as she saw her record improve to 11-7.

The Lancers would score their lone run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Carolyn Hassett (Charlton, MA) started the rally with a double and then she was driven home by senior Ashley Howe (Winchendon, MA).

Winter (2-7) was dealt the setback after allowing six runs and 13 hits in seven full innings of work while she finished with three punch outs without walking a batter.  

Freshman Nikki Cote (Shelton, CT) tossed a scoreless seventh for Brandeis to finish off the contest.

First-year Anya Kamber (Sammamish, WA) highlighted the effort for the visitors as she was 3-for-4 while Grimm, Porcaro, Miller and DeNubila all chipped in with two hits apiece.

Howe was 2-for-2 with a pair of singles for the Lancers who were limited to three base-knocks.

In the nightcap, Worcester State (19-15) snapped a scoreless game in the bottom of the third on a lead-off triple down the left-field line by Lamoureux. With two men down, Lamoureux scampered home on a wild pitch for the 1-0 advantage.

The hosts made it a three-run game in the fourth on RBI singles by junior Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) and senior Jaime Jacobs (Billerica, MA).

Behind a solid effort by Everson in the circle, the Lancers tacked on one more run in the fifth on when Howe drove home fourth-year Erica Cordio (Leominster, MA) from first on a double to left-center to extend the lead to 4-0.

Everson (13-5) tossed five innings of two-hit ball until she allowed an unearned run to cross the plate in the sixth.

Hassett helped preserve the shutout in the fifth when she rifled down sophomore Melissa Nolan (Windsor, CT) at second, who led off the inning with a single to the deepest part of centerfield for her seventh outfield assist this season.

With one out in the sixth, Brandeis took advantage of a failed pickoff attempt at third and Genovese flew home to help the visitor's trail 4-1. Genovese got on with an infield single and moved over on a safety up the middle by Grimm.

The Judges made things interesting in the top of the seventh when Cote jacked a two-out, pinch-hit single to left and drive in Kamber, who led off the frame with a double. But Everson ended the threat with her sixth strikeout of the contest to close the door.

 Nolan (7-3) was tagged with the setback for Brandeis as she allowed four earned runs on six hits to go with four strikeouts and one free pass.

Everson, who did not walk a batter, saw a streak of 28 consecutive scoreless innings come to an end. She gave up two runs (one earned) while scattering six hits.

Lamoureux was the lone multi-hitter of the second contest for both teams. Hassett saw her hitting-streak go to 12 games in the triumph.

Cordio, Jacobs, Howe and classmate Lauren Besozzi (Milford, MA) were honored in a brief post-game ceremony for their respective contributions to the WSU softball program on "Senior Night."