The Brandeis Judges finished a 10-game road trip in Altamonte Springs, Fla. on Sunday with a 5-1 victory over Case Western Reserve University. The win improves the Judges' record to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the University Athletic Association conference play.Emily Vaillette '12 pitched six innings to hold the Spartans to just one run. Vaillette struck out four batters before being relieved by Keliann Kirby '13, who sealed the Brandeis victory.

An RBI single by Chelsea Korp '10 in the first inning brought home the first score of the game. Melisa Cager '11 would score Brandeis' second run as Brittany Grimm '12 smacked an RBI single into left field in the second inning. Just two batters later, Erin Ross '10 doubled down the left field line to bring Marianne Specker '12 home.

The Spartans were held scoreless until the fourth inning when a single to left center field by pitcher, junior Beth Andrasik, brought freshman Melissa Moore home.

Brandeis finished the game strong when a ground-rule double by Lauren Porcaro '12 gave the Judges a four-run lead. Kirby struck out the final two batters to end the contest.

Saturday afternoon the Judges posted a 4-0 win over the Washington University in St. Louis Bears. Brandeis gained control early as the second batter, Grimm, homered to left center field in the bottom of the first.

In the bottom of the fourth, Grimm and Korp scored off a single up the middle by Specker.

Vaillette paced the Judges with a four-hit and no-run performance. She notched seven innings and four strikeouts.

Due to rain delays, Brandeis faced three games Saturday afternoon.

"Our schedule got a lot harder than it was supposed to be," Porcaro mused, noting the rainouts Thursday and Friday. "We ended up having to play the three toughest teams on Saturday and Case [Western Reserve University Sunday]. . I think [the tournament] could have gone another way if the schedule was different," she said.

Coach Jessica Johnson felt that the team was basically "on-call" for the majority of the weekend, implying the difficulties the team faced in game preparedness.

"We knew the game plan," Johnson said. "We knew there were three games and we just had to respond to it, . face it head-on. Unfortunately we lost two of three yesterday."

The Judges took the field shortly after the completion of the WashU contest to face the University of Rochester Yellowjackets in a disappointing 5-0 loss.

Brandeis matched the Yellowjackets in hits with four but failed to capitalize with players on base, stranding four to the Yellowjackets' six.

Rochester took a decisive first-inning lead after pitcher Caroline Miller '12 walked and then hit successive batters.

Minutes later sophomore right fielder Kim Grimes homered to center field to drive home three runs. Brandeis managed to get out of the inning down 3-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Yellowjackets struck again to score two more. A walk and a single allowed the scoring runs on base and a wild pitch advanced the runners to scoring position before a single by junior Lindsay Macaluso drove them home.

Allie Mussen '10 replaced Miller in the fourth, allowing only one hit and keeping the remainder of the game scoreless.

Ross doubled in the bottom of the seventh for Brandeis in an attempt to breathe life back into the team but was left on base after Porcaro was struck out looking.

In their final game of the day, the Judges dropped their third of the season to Emory University, losing 3-1.

Emory's first run of the game came off a single by sophomore outfielder Jessica Thomas that allowed senior second baseman Caitlin Fitzgerald to cross home.

An unearned run in the bottom of the third secured Emory's lead.

After Ross singled to center field to start the fourth inning, Casey Ducinski '13 scored Brandeis' only run. Ducinski pinch ran for Ross and was advanced by Porcaro and Maxie Hirschler '12, who pinch hit for catcher Courtney Kelley '11. Carly Schmand '11 grounded out to the pitcher, allowing Ducinski to score on the throw.

Wednesday, the Judges played a double-header, dominating both Rochester (8-0) and WashU (11-0), ending both games in six innings.

Against Rochester, Grimm and Schmand brought home two runs apiece while teammates Specker, Korp and Stacy Berg '13 combined for three more. A Rochester error allowed Korp to score in the bottom of sixth. Vaillette notched six strikeouts and allowed only four hits.

Kelley gave special kudos to the pitching staff.

"Our pitching staff did a tremendous job this week being smart about their pitches and getting the job done," she said.

Against Case Wednesday afternoon, Berg led the Judges with five RBIs complemented by Melisa Cager '11, Specker, Lara Hirschler '12, Kirby and Samantha Gajewski '12 who each hit an RBI. Miller, Mussen and Kirby each tallied one strikeout and allowed no runs in the victory.

Johnson credited the wins to "really good leadership."

"There are seniors who in their four years [at Brandeis] are now where they're supposed to be. We're not such a young team," Johnson said in reference to the team's eight sophomores. This year, she continued, "the majority of this team could anticipate what was [expected in Florida], and that really helped."

Grimm saw the tournament as a success. "Every single game we won was a team effort," said Grimm. "It was never one person doing something-it was everyone on the lineup coming together and contributing."

The Judges face Wellesley College in a doubleheader tomorrow at 3 and 5 p.m.