BRANDEIS SOFTBALL SWEEPS UMASS-BOSTON, 11-3 & 9-1, BEHIND FIVE HOME RUNS

Four different players combined for five home runs today as the Brandeis University softball team swept visiting UMass Boston, 11-3 and 9-1, on Marcus Field today.

Brandeis (14-11) wasted no time in the opener, scoring nine runs in the first inning. The first seven Judge hitters reached base and scored. The big hits were a three-run home run by rookie catcher Erin Ross and a two-run blast by junior 1B Kaitlin Streilein. Junior RF Natalie Volpe and sophomore 3B Samantha Worth each contributed a two-run single in the inning.

UMass Boston (4-8) got a pair of unearned runs in the third inning off of Brandeis rookie Allie Mussen. Sophomore DP Lauren O’Connor had an RBI single, while junior catcher Alison Lowe brought in another run with a ground out to second base.

The Judges got the runs back in the bottom of the frame when Streilein went deep for the second time in the game and the sixth time this season. The round-tripper tied her for the team lead. The Beacons scored one run in the top of the fifth when sophomore LF Jenn Widener scored on a passed ball, but they could not cut the deficit below eight runs.

In the nightcap, UMass Boston got on the board early. In the top of the first, senior 3B Andrea Ciarletta smashed a double to right-center field that plated rookie pitcher Amanda Cianciulli, who had walked and stole second.

Brandeis answered in the bottom of the frame with four runs. Worth drove in two with a single to right field with the bases loaded. Senior catcher Christina McWilliams hit a sacrifice fly to center, and junior 2B Amelia Schimmel singled in McWilliams to increase the lead to 4-1. Brandeis rookie hurler Emily Vaillette took care of UMass Boston after that, only allowing three more base runners to reach base to improve to 3-2 in the season.

ANDRIANO, MICHAEL LEAD UMASS BOSTON BASEBALL OVER WORCESTER STATE, 11-7

Freshman starting pitcher Mike Andriano threw seven innings and allowed just two earned runs on five hits, while sophomore left fielder Tom Michael collected two hits and knocked in three runs to lead the UMass Boston baseball team over Worcester State College, 11-7, today in a game that was played at H.L. Rocheleau Field on the campus of Assumption College in Worcester, MA. The Beacons improve to 10-8 on the season, while the Lancers fall to 9-10.

UMass Boston scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning for the cushion it would keep the entire game as Michael got things started with a bases-loaded double to left center field to score two runs and give the Beacons a 2-0 lead. Senior first baseman Jaime Soto followed with a triple down the right field line to increase the UMass Boston margin to 4-0. Soto then scored when junior designated hitter Dan Ciocca drove a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-0.

Worcester State got a pair of runs back in the top of the third inning when Ryan LaPrade led off with a bunt single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a Tom Huddleston ground out and scored when Billy Manley reached first on a throwing error by the Beacons’ third baseman. Nate Nelson later singled and later scored on a two-out single by Chris Gusha to cut the deficit to 5-2.

UMass Boston got a run in the fourth and then another in the fifth on a Michael RBI single to left field and added three more in the sixth, highlighted by a run-scoring single to center field from senior center fielder Bob Kniffen to take a 10-1 advantage. The Beacons looked to be in control as Andriano exited the contest after seven full innings, but the Lancers made some noise in the eighth, scoring three times, thanks to a run-producing single to right field by Kirk Monbleau and a two-run single to left field by Ryan Hawley to pull them to within 10-5.

UMass Boston got a run back in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run to center by Kniffen to give it an 11-5 lead, but Worcester State rallied for two more runs in the ninth inning when Jonathan Pena stroked a leadoff pinch-hit double to left field and came around to score on a single down the right field line by Nick Caparell. Manley followed with a single through the right side and Nelson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs, but the Beacons turned a double play with a run scoring on the play to take the air out of the rally as they held on for the victory.

Andriano improves to 4-1 on the season for UMass Boston and allowed two walks, while striking out six, including five on called strikes. Joel Brierley was charged with the loss for the Lancers, pitching just the first inning and allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks.