Last Thursday afternoon, the softball team, ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Regional Poll and No. 14 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in Division III, fell 3-2 to Eastern Connecticut State University. The loss to the Warriors, the No. 1 team in the Regional Poll and No. 19 team by the NFCA; dropped the Judges' record to 22-6-1.Eastern Connecticut sophomore pitcher Molly Rathbun controlled the game for the Warriors. The pitcher, who batted third in the lineup, started strong at the plate with a first-inning two-run home run.

After walking second baseman Melisa Cagar '11 to start the first inning, Rathbun struck out 11 batters and retired 16 Judges overall.

She pitched a complete game, allowing only two hits and two walks in the win.

Shortstop Chelsea Korp '10, who got one of the Judges' two hits, articulated the difficulties in facing Rathbun.

"The combination of speed and location [challenged me]," Korp said. "[Rathbun] threw harder than most of the people we've faced this year. And with her hitting inside and outside corners [for strikes], it [made it] especially difficult."

Eastern Connecticut increased their lead to three with a single by Rathbun in the third innning, which scored senior center fielder Ashley Sullivan.

With the game slipping away from the Judges, inclement weather postponed play at the top of the fourth. Due to nearby lightning strikes, nearly an hour elapsed before the players returned to the diamond.

Noting that such delays can be difficult for players, Korp mentioned the benefit of inclement weather on Thursday.

"It was nice [to have the delay] because it gave us a chance to regroup," she said. "At the same time, it can be tough because your muscles freeze and all that. . But in this situation, it was nice."

Although she was sidelined with a sprained ankle, catcher Courtney Kelley '11 maintained a similar attitude to her teammates regarding the game delay.

"The delay helped us to refocus and rethink what we had done in the first couple innings," she said. "We were able to think about those mistakes and try to execute the plays we needed to in order to win."

Kelley was impressed with the team's defense during the first four innings but suggested that better pitch selection could help Brandeis capitalize when players are on-base.

Following a set of unproductive innings at the plate once play resumed, the Judges finally delivered their response.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Korp beat the throw to first after a grounder to short. Cagar capitalized on Korp's on-base position, sending a shot over the center field fence on the first pitch of her at bat.

Cagar's two-run home run, her fourth home run of the season, was just the sixth and seventh runs given up by Rathbun in 90 1/3 innings this season, and brought the Judges within one run.

The hit gave the Judges some momentum, according to Korp, but the team was unable to hit the ball to open space and gain the base.

The Judges were unable to repeat the success of the sixth inning. Berg struck out swinging, catcher Erin Ross '10 grounded out to Rathbun, and Lara Hirschler '12, who pinch hit for third baseman Danielle Lavallee '11, struck out to end the game.

In the loss, Emily Vaillette '10 pitched a complete game, giving up six hits while walking two and striking out six.

Brandeis was not given the opportunity to play in the scheduled second game of the doubleheader, which was called in the fourth inning due to darkness.

At the time the game was called, Brandeis and Eastern Connecticut were locked in a 3-3 tie.

Kelley commented on the frustration of having the game canceled, especially against a team to which the Judges had just lost to.

"It is frustrating when a game gets called for darkness," said Kelley, "because that is something that is out of our control. That second game could have gone either way, but I think our bats were a little smarter in the second game, which could have given us the win."

The Judges take to the field in a doubleheader against Rhode Island College, who has a record of 23-5, on Thursday, starting at 3:30 p.m.

After facing RIC on Thursday, the Judges will face Emerson College on Friday and Framingham State College on Sunday, which will close the softball team's regular season.