Trailing 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded against local rival Wellesley College, ranked 29th in Division III, it was catcher Erin Ross' '10 responsibility as the cleanup hitter to drive her teammates home. She fulfilled that responsibility. Ross hit a single to left field, driving in right fielder Lara Hirschler '12 and left fielder Chelsea Korp '10 to give the Judges a 3-2 lead that led to their 4-2 victory and doubleheader sweep last Wednesday at Wellesley.

The Judges took the second game 4-0 to close out play for the week, improving their record to 5-7 overall.

"[Ross' hit] was definitely a turning point in the game," second baseman Melissa Cagar '11 said. "For her to come up with a big hit in a crucial situation with runners in scoring position is a big boost because it put us back on top."

The Judges faced an early deficit against No. 29 Wellesley when rookie Elora Daniele hit a two-run home run in her first college at bat against pitcher Emily Vaillette '10.

Vaillette, however, was able to reverse her early season struggles, pitching a complete game victory to improve her record to 1-5.

"[Vaillette] pitched awesome," third baseman Danielle Lavallee '11 said. "After she gave up the home run she maintained her calm and continued to pitch a great game and keep us in it until the offense came around."

Lavallee contributed to the Judges' final run of the first game with an RBI groundout in the three-run fifth inning.

Cagar continued to set the tone for the Judges out of the leadoff spot. She stole her seventh and eighth bases of the season in the top of the third inning before scoring on shortstop Brittany Grimm's '12 RBI groundout.

"As the leadoff hitter I always try and put pressure on the defense," Cagar said. "When I do get on base I try and utilize my speed [by] getting into scoring position and making the defense throw me out."

In the second game of the doubleheader, Judges' pitcher Caroline Miller '12 and Wellesley senior pitcher Barabarajean Grundlock battled in a scoreless pitching duel for the first five innings of the game. Both Miller and Grundlock confounded hitters until the sixth inning, when Brandeis was finally able to break through.

After loading the bases on two singles and a walk, Korp broke the scoreless tie with an infield hit to the shortstop, scoring Megan DeNubila '12 who had come in to pinch-run for designated hitter Marianne Specker '12. Cagar produced one more run in the sixth with an RBI groundout, scoring center fielder Carly Schmand '11. The Judges added two more runs in the top of the seventh, winning 4-0 and completing their sweep.

Miller improved her record to 3-1 on the season, allowing only three runners to reach base while striking out two.

Specker finished the second game 3-for-3, after picking up one hit in three at bats in the first game, to increase her team-leading batting average to .375.

"Wellesley is a ranked team, and it always looks good beating ranked teams," captain and outfielder Victoria Roomet '10 said. "Playing against teams like Wellesley really helps us because it shows that we are a competitive team."

"Sweeping Wellesley sets the tone for our New England schedule," head coach Jessica Johnson wrote in an e-mail. "We've done a good job of focusing on the task at hand as well as the ones ahead so we don't waste time looking back."

The Judges hit the road this week for three doubleheaders starting at Lasell College today at 3 p.m., at Clark University tomorrow at 3 p.m and at Bates College Sunday at noon.