The New York University softball team used a pair of late-game rallies to overcome deficits and sweep Brandeis University in a University Athletic Association (UAA) doubleheader on Saturday, April 21, at Bahoshy Field in the Bronx.
Playing their final home games of the season, the Violets (17-13, 4-4) posted 6-3 and 7-5 wins over the visiting Judges (9-17, 2-10) as NYU honored its lone senior,
Sage Scheiwiller, in a pre-game ceremony.
In the first game, Brandeis took the lead in the top of the first and still led 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the sixth. That's when the Violets exploded for a four-run rally. NYU tied the game on a one-out RBI triple from
Claire Stefanelli, and
Mary Tindall followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Violets their first lead.
Diana King added insurance runs with a two-RBI triple to account for the final scoring.
Scarlett Murphy allowed only two earned runs and struck out four in a complete-game effort, improving to 5-3 on the season.
In game two, the Judges had another hot start. They scored three first-inning runs, all with two outs, and prompted Head Coach
Now-Allah James to remove started
Cassi Parulis and insert
Karissa Zubulake with the bases loaded after only two-thirds of an inning.
Zubulake snuffed out that rally and NYU responded immediately with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame.
The Violets continued to chip away with solo home runs from Tindall in the second inning and
Ashley Mains in the fourth. Brandeis had scored two more in the top of the fourth and led 5-3 heading into the sixth....which again proved to be the Violets' favorite iinning of the afternoon.
NYU cut the lead to 5-4 on a sacrifice fly from Schewiller and tied the affair on an infield single by
Morgan Clemens. Then, with her second RBI triple in as many games, King gave the Violets their first lead of the nitecap and
Jacqueline Finn added an insurance by plating King with a single.
The Judges went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
Zubulake picked up her team-leading sixth victory of the season (6-2) by completing the final 6.1 innings. She struck out four and didn't walk a batter while surrendering seven hits and two earned runs.
"It was just a tremendous combination of timely hitting, great defense and pitching, and just a lot of enthusiasm off the bench," James said. "It was a special day for Sage and for the team. They really wanted to win and put together a pretty complete performance."
The Violets return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 24, for a doubleheader against Hunter College. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 3:00pm on Randall's Island.
