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After an early-season surge in New York over the February break, the women's softball team encountered mixed results this weekend at the National Softball Training Center in Claremont, Fla. On Saturday, the women took down the Salve Regina University Seahawks by a score of 8-4 before losing their first game of the season to the Haverford College Fords 8-2 on Sunday. 
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The Judges suffered a tough loss at the hands of Haverford, primarily due to some strong pitching from Fords freshman pitcher Sara Tauriello. Tauriello recorded 15 strikeouts, while only allowing five hits and two runs. 
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"She (Tauriello) was definitely decent," said head coach Jessica Johnson in an interview with the Justice. "She was making adjustments are we weren't. We had a couple of lapses and they took advantage of them."
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On the Judges' side, pitcher Nikki Cote '15 had a difficult time handling Haverford's offense, allowing seven hits and eight runs. Pitcher Melissa Nolan '14 relieved Cote midway through the game and finished out the game in strong fashion for Brandeis, allowing only two hits and no runs during her time on the mound. 
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The scoring began early in the game, with a two-run homer coming from Haverford junior third basemen Jen DiCandilo in the first inning. An inning later, the Judges tied the game at two runs apiece, as catcher Cori Coleman '15 and right fielder Amanda Genovese '15 drilled two consecutive RBI singles. 
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The scoring did not resume until the top of the fourth inning, when the Fords combined for six runs. The Brandeis defense did not have their best inning, proceeding to commit two errors and concede a triple to sophomore first baseman Dayle Comerford as well as a home run to sophomore second baseman Jill Schnall. 
That would prove to be the end of the scoring in the game, as neither Tauriello or Schnall would allow the opposing team another run. 
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Saturday, however, was an entirely different story for Brandeis, as the Judges were the ones to come out on top, defeating the Salve Regina Seahawks 8-4. 
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Salve Regina opened up the scoring in the bottom of the third, as senior shortstop Ali Muehlbronner hit a sacrifice fly that advanced senior pitcher Jen Cruver to the plate. Brandeis then responded with their next opportunity, as Coleman brought in Anya Kamber '15 from second base. 
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In the bottom of the fourth, Cote turned in a solid pitching performance, allowing only one runner to reach base and failing to allow any runs. Salve Regina counterpart Cruver then proceeded to one-up Cote in the ensuing half inning, turning in a one-two-three performance. However, Cote then responded definitively with a one-two- three half inning of her own. 
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Attempting to repeat her fifth inning feat, Cruver started off the top of the sixth by striking out Brandeis' Nolan. However, it all went downhill from there for the Seahawks as a slew of walks, singles and steals allowed the Judges to send five runners to the plate in the inning. 
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It seemed as if the Seahawks might rally to take the game back from the Judges after scoring three runs in the bottom of that same inning, yet a two-run triple from designated hitter Casey Ducinski '13 in the top of the seventh gave the Judges a four-run lead that the Seahawks were unable to overcome.
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"We have a lot of natural talent in terms of our hitting," said Johnson. "We try to couple that with taking good approaches, taking it pitch by pitch. We focus on being intelligently aggressive. I think that it has been paying off for us so far this season."
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With the UAA Championships slated to start today, Johnson is well aware of the toll that the week is taking on her athletes. 
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"It's a tough week for everyone," she said. "But we as coaches and returners know what to expect and we try to help the first-years as much as we can." 
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After the weekend, the Judges' record now stands at 4-1. Brandeis plays next on Tuesday, March 12, when they take on the Emory  University Eagles, followed by Washington University in St. Louis at the UAA Tournament, which will be held at the Seminole County Softball Complex in Altamonte Springs, Fla. 
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- Henry Loughlin contributed reporting