After a month-long season filled with both success and heartbreak, four teams remained in contention for the Brandeis Intramural Sports Softball Championships. These squads not only fought for bragging rights but also the opportunity to take home the much-coveted Intramural Championship T-shirts.

The No. 6 Grout Bullies beat the No. 8 Psychos 19-17 in a 9-inning thriller in a men's tournament that was cluttered with upsets. The Grout Bullies put up five runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early lead, highlighted by a home run from Alex Stoyle '14. However, the Psychos battled back, and after five innings, the score was deadlocked at 12-12. The Grout Bullies scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull away and escape with the narrow victory.

The game featured spectacular defense behind two of the best control pitchers in the league: the Psychos' Jeff Boucher (GRAD) and the Grout Bullies' Shami Bery '13. Offensively, Derek Retos '14 paced the Grout Bullies by going 5-6 on the day with three extra base hits, four runs scored and two RBIs. Anthony Trapasso '13 also had a big night for the Bullies, going 5-6 with three runs scored and six RBIs, including a big home run in the decisive sixth inning. Jeremy Kronick, a Ph.D. candidate in international economics and finance, led the Psychos by going 5-6 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a solo home run in the first inning. Josh McGrath '12 and Chris Vecsey, a Brandeis staff member, also hit home runs in the loss.

The top-seeded Ballah Bustahs and second-seeded BWB squared off for the women's championship earlier in the afternoon. Despite losing two players to injury, BWB lit up the scoreboard early by jumping out to an 11-0 lead after two innings. The Ballah Bustahs defense then tightened up, sending BWB down in each of the next two innings. However, its offense couldn't capitalize, leaving the bases loaded in two different innings.

The Ballah Bustahs finally broke through with one run in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth inning, but the early deficit proved to be too much to overcome. BWB tacked on some late insurance runs to win by a final score of 21-5. Hannah Cain '15 and Dominique Chen '15 each reached base six times for BWB. Chen, Nicolina Vitale '14, and Mikaela Garvin '15 scored four runs apiece. Zahava Horowitz '14 and Ariel Barnehama '13 led the offense for Ballah Bustas, both reaching base three times.

                                                                                                                    - Courtesy of IM Sports staff