Endicott falls twice to Brandeis on the road

Rob Palardy, Sports Information Director

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Endicott softball team visited UAA foe Brandeis on Friday afternoon and fell twice the Judges and dropped to 12-9 overall on the 2012 season.  The Gulls will take the weekend off and return to action at home on Tuesday, April 10^th against North Shore rival Salem State starting at 3:00 pm. 

Game One: Endicott 1, Brandeis 4

Three runs over the first three innings and a six-inning, eight-strikeout effort by Judges pitcher Caroline Miller (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) were enough to hand Endicott a game one loss.  The Gulls managed to plate one runner on the top of the seventh on a RBI double by junior third baseman Jocelyn Russo (Middletown, Conn.), her eighth RBI of the season.

In the top of the first, Brandeis leadoff hitter Amanda Genovese (Sammamish, Wash.) singled, stole second and got to third on a Marianne Specker (South Windsor, Conn.).  A fielder's choice grounder by Lauren Porcaro (Shrewsbury, Mass.) brought home Genovese to put Brandeis ahead 1-0.

The Judges tacked on another run in the bottom half of the second inning as Genovese slapped a single to left to plate senior Megan DeNubila (Princeton, Mass.) making it 2-0 in favor of the home team. 

Brandeis put Endicott in a 4-0 hole after a third inning that saw the Judges get a two-run blast to centerfield by Miller, her fourth long ball of the season.

Endicott managed just four hits in the game while Brandeis had 10 against three different pitchers.  Endicott's Kayla Carignan (Laconia, N.H.) took the loss to drop to 3-2 on the season.

Game Two: Endicott 3, Brandeis 12 (5 inn.)

In game two, the Gulls trailed 9-0 heading into the top of the fifth but an RBI single by junior Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) followed by a two-RBI hit to left center by junior Byrne Katz (Trumbull, Conn.) finally got Endicott on the board. 

Brandeis, however, got those runs right back and ended the game on a three-run, walk-off homerun by DeNubila.  The Judges won the game 12-3 in five innings to sweep the twin bill.

Brandeis hurler Melissa Nolan (Windsor, Conn.) improved to 5-1 after going five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five.  Gulls sophomore Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) took the loss, falling to 3-2 on the year.

Brandeis senior Brittany Grimm (Perkiomenville, Pa.) recorded seven RBI including four on one swing as she hit a grand slam homerun over the centerfield wall in a six-run, bottom of the third for the Judges.  Genevese continued her strong play with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate with two runs and a RBI.