WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University won game one on a walkoff hit before playing an offensively minded 11-11 game two that ended in a tie due to darkness during a non-conference doubleheader with Wellesley College softball at Marcus Field on Wednesday. The Blue now sit at 7-6-1 on the year while the Judges go to 5-16-1.

Game 1 | Brandeis 4, Wellesley 3 | Final

Despite leading 3-0 for much of the game, the Blue fell victim to a late comeback from the Judges, resulting in a walkoff hit in the bottom of the seventh.

The Blue jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Sophomore Alena Mulhern (Kingston, Mass.) opened the game with a single to center and quickly stole second. Mulhern later came home on a sacrifice fly from first year Ruijia Yang (Berwyn, Pa.). 

Sophomore Giana Jones (Fairfield, Calif.) ripped a two-run homer over the center field fence in the second to make it 3-0. Jones' second homer of the season brought home junior Emeline Gaunce (Los Altos, Calif.).

The Judges struck back in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of tallies. Junior Erin Hunt (Wake Forest, N.C.) laced a triple over the right fielder's head to drive in a pair. First year Bella Hassett (North Granby, Conn.) settled down and got through the inning with the Blue still up, 3-2.

In the top of the seventh Wellesley threatened a run when Jones doubled to left and advanced to third on an error. Kannan responded by inducing a groundout and a strikeout, stranding Jones on third to keep the margin at one heading into the final half inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Brandeis first year Jordan Wallace (Howell, N.J.) shot a double to left center. Senior Fiona Doiron (Charlton, Mass.) singled up the middle to bring Wallace home, tying up the game at 3-3. Doiron sprinted home and slid in under the tag on a grounder to short by sophomore Katie Baydian (Massapequa, N.Y.), walking it off for the Judges.

Junior Ragini Kannan (Westford, Mass.) hurled a complete game in the circle for the Judges, allowing six hits and a walk over seven innings and punching out three.

Sophomore Sarah Wicker (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) started for the Blue, limiting the Judges to a single hit and no runs while fanning five during the first four innings. Hassett allowed three runs over 2.1 innings, with four hits allowed and a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore Jill Colgan (Las Vegas, Nev.) allowed a hit in a third of an inning.

Game 2 | Wellesley 11, Brandeis 11 | Final (5 Inn.) 

Game two was a battle of the offense, with the team combining for 22 runs and 19 hits. The only thing that could stop either offense was darkness, as the game ended when the sun went down, locked forever at 11-11.

Wellesley struck first, painting a three next to its name in the top of the first. Colgan brought in Yang and first-year Brynne Mellady (Ellicott City, Md.) with a sharp double to left. Colgan then advanced home on a passed ball. Brandeis gave itself a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from graduate student Haley Nash (Delmar, N.Y.).

The offense continued to reign supreme in the second, with the teams combining for seven total runs. Mulhern set the scoring in motion by singling in classmate Emily Kulhanek (Newbury, Calif.). Mulhern and first-year Natalie Nicol (Latexo, Texas) crossed the plate on a two-run single to left field from Yang, putting Wellesley up 6-1.

A four-run bottom of the second kept the Judges within striking distance of the Blue. Wallace opened the inning with a deep fly over the fence for a run. A dropped fly ball then caused junior Bells Burdenski (San Diego, Calif.) to score. A Brooke Boehmer (Pittsburgh, Pa.) single cut the gap to 6-4 before first year Dylan Yamamura (Newbury Park, Calif.) walked in the fourth and final run of the barrage.

Burdenski tied the game up at six apiece in the bottom of the third, crushing a solo shot high over the left field fence. Baydian gave the hosts its first lead of the game, 7-6, with a double to center field that brought in Hunt.

A grounder from Jones scored Mulhern in the upper side of the fourth, evening the contest back at 7-7. Burdenski put Brandeis back on top with a second home run of the game, a two-run blast to dead center in the fourth to go up 9-7.

In the fifth, Nicol reached first on an error at shortstop while Gaunce came in to score. Mulhern followed with an RBI double to score Kulhanek to knot it back up at 9-9. A fielder's choice from Jones allowed Nicol to beat the throw home and put Wellesley back in front by one. Another error plated Mulhern to make it 11-9.

The Judges once again retook control in the bottom of the fifth. After loading the bases, Boehmer banked a two-run single to left to tie the score up at eleven all. A double play ended the inning still tied. Unfortunately, that's where the game ended, as the field became too dark for either team to continue.

First year Jamie Staub (Lawrenceville, N.J.) allowed six runs, five earned, in an inning and a third for the Judges. Graduate student Kathryn Vermeulen (Evergreen, Colo.) gave up five runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings of relief.

Senior Lauren Young (Fresno, Calif.) started for the Blue and gave up four earned runs, seven total, with a strikeout in 2.1 innings. Colgan sat down three in over 2.2 innings, allowing four runs in the circle.

Up next, the Blue return to Wellesley to welcome NEWMAC foe Salve Regina University at 3 & 5 PM on Friday, April 4. Brandeis hits the road at WPI for a 12 & 2 PM twin-billing on Saturday, April 5.