The softball team flew to sunny Altamonte Springs, Florida, prepared for a wild week of games. The squad certainly was not disappointed, playing eight games over five days at the University Athletic Association Tournament. The Judges had to prove their mettle against some of the best Division III talent in the nation but still notched a 3-5 conference record for the week.

Amanda Genovese '15 was particularly impressed with the team's perseverance and effort.

"The highlight of the week was when we finally came together as a team to beat Case and have a great game against WashU," she said.

Given that the team had its season opener last Tuesday, the Judges took some time to find their rhythm, dropping the season opener 8-0 against Emory University, the defending UAA champion. Brandeis notched two hits during the game, singles from Marianne Specker '12 and Melissa Nolan '14.

It did not take long for Brandeis to assert itself against its conference rivals, sweeping its doubleheader, as the team defeated the University of Rochester 2-1 and Case Western Reserve University 7-5.

The bats only stayed alive for one inning in the Judges' match against Rochester. The YellowJackets scored first off a single, but Brandeis fought back in the bottom of the frame to score with a pair of two-out runs. Specker began the rally with a single and then moved into scoring position. Anya Kamber '15 tied the game by hitting a double, while outfielder Lauren Porcaro '12 drove Nolan in for the game-winning run.

Later in the day, the Brandeis batters finally found their groove, notching 11 hits, five of which were extra bases. The squad trailed early but responded with three two-out runs in the third for the lead, including RBI doubles from Specker and Nolan.

In the top of the fifth, the Judges took advantage of three Case errors to score four runs on four hits. Nolan then ultimately came up with a squeeze bunt single that proved to be the game-winning run.

However, the next day was quite a different story, as the Judges were routed in their second doubleheader. Brandeis fell to No. 21 Washington University in St. Louis and No. 2 Emory University 12-3 and 15-0, respectively.

In the game against Washington, Brandeis rallied from a five-run deficit but still fell short. Caroline Miller '12 allowed five runs in her first two innings of work. In the fourth and fifth innings, the Judges would not go down that easily. Specker figured prominently in the rally, scoring off a single by Porcaro and then driving in Brittany Grimm '12 for an RBI.

On Friday, the Judges lost 8-7 in a nail-biter to Rochester. Brandeis clawed its way back from a six-run deficit in the sixth inning only to lose at the end of the game. Genovese drew a walk while the bases were loaded and drove in second baseman Megan DeNubila '15. Leah McWilliams '12 and Kamber belted two clutch RBI singles to cut the lead to 7-5. Miller batted in two more RBIs to tie the game at 7-7. However, Nolan coughed up the game-winning run in the seventh inning.

The final day of the tournament proved to be a back-and-forth affair, winning a 11-3 blowout over Case but losing in a close-knit 5-4 affair to the Bears.

The Judges entered the fifth inning trailing 3-1 in their game against Case. Specker doubled, while Mimi Theodore '12 then scored off a sacrifice fly from Kamber. Nolan delivered a clutch RBI single to help Brandeis take the lead. In the sixth inning, the Judges caught fire and brought 10 batters to the plate to score seven runs and notch the 11-3 rout.

Brandeis could not hold on to an early lead against the Bears. After Grimm singled home and Genovese and Specker each notched an RBI double, Washington responded with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Brandeis rallied in the fifth with a single from Genovese and a two-run home run from Grimm. However, WashU countered with three straight singles to notch the 5-4 loss.

Catcher Cori Coleman '15 believed the tournament was a great learning experience for the team and prepared them well for future games.

"The tournament was a great bonding experience and it lets us hone our skills for the long season coming on," she said.

Brandeis next returns to action on Friday at 3:00 p.m. against Worcester Polytechnic Institute at home.