After a slow start to the 2004 season, the Brandeis softball team has gotten into the swing of things with a 6-3 record since Spring Break. An 8-5 victory over University of Massachusetts-Boston on March 29 gave the team the momentum it needed to rack up their subsequent wins over MIT (7-6), University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (10-6), Framingham State (8-6), a double-header against Worcester State (8-4 and 2-0) and Regis College (4-1).
"We have quite a good record since our return from Florida," captain Emily Watterworth '04 said. "We are finally playing closer to what our potential is. Our offense has taken off, and we have worked out most of the kinks in our defense. We haven't quite reached our peak yet, but I know it will happen soon. As long as we continue playing as a team, we still have a shot at making a post-season tournament."
On March 30, the Judges trailed 6-1 after four innings against the Engineers. Sara Albert '04, leading the team with a .419 batting average, hit a two-out RBI single in the fifth to close the gap. In the sixth inning, Mari Levine '06 crossed home plate on a double by teammate Brianne Smith '06. A single from Watterworth sent Smith scurrying from her stolen third base to home.
Teamwork was essential as Brandeis entered the seventh inning. A triple by Albert in the top of the inning positioned her to score on a single from co-captain Melissa Leber '04. A short grounder by Levine advanced Leber to second, and a sacrifice to center field by Smith sealed the victory for the Judges.
On April 7, catcher Melissa Leber smashed her 18th and 19th career home runs in the first and sixth innings to help the Judges overpower UMass-Dartmouth. Her mighty swing was contagious as Jamie Kidd '04 stepped to the plate in the fifth and hit one out of the park for her second time this season. Felicity Hanks '04 and Elissa Glucksman '06 both caught the bug and each pulled off their first collegiate home runs.
Leber's two-run homer, an early score by UMass-Dartmouth, followed by a two-out double by Levine, gave Brandeis a 3-1 lead at the end of the third. The Judges' fans held their breath as UMass sprang into action in the fourth and sent four players over the plate to go up 5-3. With the bases loaded and no outs, it looked as though UMass might have been gaining momentum, but a quick throw from Albert sent a runner back to the dugout as she gazed longingly at home plate.
A three-base error by the Judges followed by two RBIs by the Corsairs produced a wave of determination over the faces of the blue and white team as they stepped up to bat in the bottom of the fourth. Glucksman and Hanks sent their balls out of the park to give Brandeis the lead back. Leber doubled and scored and Albert and Kidd hit one to left-center in the fifth. Leber's sixth inning homer scored two runs for the Judges to solidify the well-deserved win.
Then, on April 19, a strong breeze carried the ball a little farther than expected as a three-run homer by Brianne Smith sailed over the heads of Framingham State.
The left field smash came late in the fifth inning after an intense back and forth battle in the first four innings. Framingham went up first, but was quickly answered by a run by Glucksman off a double by Albert and Leber's fourth home run of the season. The Rams took the lead back off of a Brandeis error and an RBI single. Levine doubled in a runner in the third only to be followed by a double from Framingham. A win for the Judges was secured when Leber caught two runners trying to steal and punished them by sending them back to the bench.
Brandeis softball might as well have had the day off when they easily overtook Worcester State College in a double header last Monday, due in part, to solid pitching by Smith.
After walking the first batter in game two, Smith turned up the heat and sent 14 Lancers in a row back to the dugout before the fifth inning. Smith only gave up three hits in the game.
In game one, the Judges scored eight runs off eight hits with two hits a piece from Albert, Leber and Watterworth.
Leber earned UAA Athlete of the Week and ECAC Hitter of the Week honors for her performances against Worcester and Framingham State. She reached base in 11 of 12 plate appearances, smashed three home runs and had two doubles for a slugging percentage of 2.111 in the three games. Leber became the third woman in school history to hit 20 homers with her blast against Framingham State, joining Melissa Jones '99 (31 HR) and teammate Sara Albert (23).
Confident play by Brandeis brought another victory over Regis College last week. Losses over the past couple weeks have been to Smith, Fitchburg State and Amherst.
Melissa Leber sees the potential in this year's team.
"As a team, we've been feeling a lot stronger and more confident as our win-loss record indicates," she said. "There are still many defensive improvements that we are working on but as a whole, we have come a long way."
These talented women are still looking to post-season. Leber talks about the team's weaknesses, and what they need to do to secure a spot in the tournament games.
"Right now, we just need to focus on stringing our hits together in games to produce a greater number of runs offensively. We have 12 games left in the season and we're on our way to ending with a winning record. We're keeping our hopes high that if we keep playing the way we have in the past couple weeks, we still might have a chance at a post-season berth."
Brandeis faces Tufts and Curry College away this week. Colby College hosts the Judges this weekend for the St. Joe's Tourney in Maine.