The New York University softball team closed out its opening weekend of University Athletic Association (UAA) competition with a 13-12 eight-inning win over Brandeis University on Saturday, March 29.
It marked the first UAA victory for Interim Head Coach Nicole Bellini.
NYU brought seven runs across in the first inning but Saturday's contest went to extra innings after a late push by Brandeis.
The Violets jumped all over the Judges in the top of the first inning. Emily Barberie opened the scoring with a drive up the middle with loaded bases, plating two runs and initiating a pitching change for Brandeis.
After NYU scored two more runs on sacrifice flies, Naya Schubel connected with a ball to right center field that added another pair to the Violet tally.
Nicole Cicchetti rounded out the scoring efforts in the opening at-bats with an RBI single to left that brought the NYU lead to 7-0.
Claire Carson extended the NYU lead to 8-0 in the top of the fourth inning with her first career home run.
The Judges responded in the bottom of the second inning with five runs on five hits. Karleigh Kluever was removed from the pitchers circle after loading the bases and giving up three runs. Brandeis added two more runs after Olyvia Rutter took over in the circle, finishing the second inning with NYU ahead 8-5.
Carson doubled her career home run total in the top of the fourth inning. The two-run shot extended the NYU lead to 10-5.
Brandeis continued to respond to the NYU offensive surge, countering with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Violets still led, 10-7, heading into the fifth inning.
Despite NYU scoring two more runs, the Judges struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning. NYU led 12-7 at the start of the final frame, but the Judges pulled within two runs in a matter of three at-bats, thanks in part of the one of the Violets' season-high five errors in the game. A hard-hit single up the middle by Brandeis's Tristian Boyer drove in two runs to tie the game at 12-12.
NYU showed resilience in extra innings despite losing their five-run lead. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Emma Aridi hammered her team-leading third home run of the season total to put the Violets in front 13-12.
Kluever, who re-entered the game to pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, sat down the first two Brandeis hitters in the eighth with swinging strikeouts and clinched the victory by forcing a fly out to Cicchetti at second base.
Kluever improved to a 5-4 record on the season, recording two strikes and allowing three hits and four earned runs over two and two-thirds innings pitched.
Five Violets finished with at least two RBI's, led by Carson with three. Her two home runs match an NYU single-game record.
The Violets return to action on Tuesday, April 1, for a doubleheader against Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
