After three straight losses, the softball team seemed to be turning things around in an 8-0 rout of Bay Path College at home last Tuesday, but the prospect of continued success faded away as the Judges lost the remainder of their games last week. Brandeis' record stands at 7-23 following a 3-0 home loss yesterday to Lasell College that ended too late for extensive coverage.The Judges lost all three games of their latest road trip. They fell 4-0 in both games of a doubleheader at Babson College last Wednesday, 6-3 to Regis College last Thursday and 3-2 to Amherst College in eight innings last Saturday.

"We're not hitting as well as we should be," coach Mary Sullivan said. "When we can score it takes a lot of the pressure off of the defense and we're just making a few mistakes here and there. It's unfortunate that when we make one mistake we can get burned so badly."

Amherst jumped ahead in the first inning on Saturday after a fielding error by second baseman Rebecca Pelfrey '06. The Lord Jeffs scored again in the next inning on another Brandeis error, a hit and two wild pitches by Natalie Volpe '08.

The teams played five scoreless innings before Christina McWilliams '07 and Elissa Glucksman '06 scored to tie the game.

The Judges' defensive woes hurt them in the eighth inning when Amherst catcher Elizabeth Neckes singled, bringing in rookie outfielder Laura Smith for the winning run. Volpe gave up nine hits in the game, but because of several errors, none of Amherst's three runs were earned.

"It was heartbreaking to lose in extra innings, but it was a total team effort," Glucksman said.

Visiting Regis College last Thursday, Brandeis scored a run in the second inning and held the lead until the Pride broke open the game with four runs in the fifth inning. The Judges scored runs late in the game, but Regis won the game 6-3.

Babson swept a doubleheader last Wednesday, shutting out the Judges by four runs in both games. The Judges only allowed the Beavers to score in the first two innings of the first game. Babson scored three in the sixth inning of the nightcap.

"Our record is no indication of how [the team] has played," Sullivan said. "We've had some unlucky breaks all season."

Things had looked better after the team's eight-run shutout of Bay Path College last Tuesday. Volpe threw a perfect game, striking out 10 batters before the mercy rule was invoked in the fifth inning.

The Judges came out swinging, scoring five runs in the first three innings. Glucksman scored in the first after stealing two bases and center fielder Jenna Olem '08 scored on a wild pitch. Olem recorded a hit in each of her three at-bats with one RBI and two runs.

"[Volpe] had an outstanding game," Sullivan said. "Everything was working."

The Judges head to Northampton to take on Smith College today at 4:30 p.m. and then to Medford to play Tufts University Wednesday at 4 p.m.