Pisac Leads Blue Softball To Pair of Wins at Brandeis

WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior Anna Pisac (Snohomish, Wash.) smashed her team-leading sixth home run of the season in game one and drove in the go-ahead run in game two, as Wellesley College softball swept a non-conference doubleheader with Brandeis University on Wednesday at Marcus Field. The Blue earned a 7-1 victory in game one and a 3-1 win in game two.

Wellesley, now winners of four-straight games since returning from their season opening trip to Florida, improves to 6-6 on the season. Brandeis falls to 10-9 on the season.

Game 1: Wellesley 7, Brandeis 1 

The Blue roared to a 6-0 lead through five innings, never trailing en route to a 7-1 victory in the opener. Pisac totaled three hits, including her sixth home run of the year in the third inning, while senior Carly Bresee (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), junior Ashtyn Coleman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and sophomore Julia Warner (Kenmore, Wash.) each had two hits for the Blue. 

In the circle, Warner scattered seven hits over seven innings, striking out six without surrendering a walk, to earn her first win of the season (1-2). The only blemish for Warner came in the bottom of the seventh when Brandeis first year Keri Lehtonen (Oneco, Conn.) hit her second home run of the season. Brandeis starter Melissa Soleimani (Somerset, Mass.) was charged with all seven Wellesley runs, as she dropped to 5-6 on the year. 

The Blue scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, when Ashtyn Coleman smacked a single to right field to score Bresee. Bresee would add an RBI of her own in the top of the fourth inning, driving home Warner from second after the Wellesley starter had opened the inning with a lead-off walk. Bresse would score her second run of the game on the next batter when senior classmate Jaclyn Tsang (Manalapan, N.J.) singled up the middle.

Wellesley added two more runs in the top of the fifth. Warner doubled to right center to score Pisac with two away in the inning, before sophomore Zein Aburish (Alexandria, Va.) traded places with the Wellesley starter to make the score 6-0. Pisac later closed out the Wellesley total in the game with an RBI double in the top of the sixth.

Game 2: Wellesley 3, Brandeis 1

The Judges grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of game two, only to see the Blue countered with three runs in the top of the fifth to rally for a 3-1 lead. Bresee and Ashtyn Coleman each added two more hits in the nightcap, while Pisac registered her team-leading 18th RBI of the season.

Sophomore Madeline Bianchi (Lakeville, Minn.) pitcher her third straight complete game for Wellesley, earning her third victory in her last three appearances (5-3). Bianchi gave up just five hits to outduel Brandeis starter Sadie-Rose Apfel (Stamford, Conn.), as the Judges' starter also yielded five hits.

The game opened with three consecutive scoreless frames before the Judges manufactured the first run of the contest. Senior Madison Gagnon (Westlake Village, Calif.) reach base on a hit-by-pitch to open the inning, advancing to second on a wild pitch and third when classmate Madison Sullvan (Dover, N.H.) lifted a fly ball out to right. Bianchi then got senior Danielle Novotny (Milford, N.J.) to ground out for the second out of the inning, but first year Marissa DeLaurentis (Centereach, N.Y.) followed with a two-out RBI to bring in Gagnon from third.

The Brandeis lead didn't stand long, as the first two Wellesley batters reached base in the top of the fifth in the form of Bresee and Tsang. With Bresee on third, a Brandeis error allowed Ashtyn Coleman to reach and Bresee to tie the game. Pisac followed with an RBI ground out, scoring Tsang, before Kendra Coleman brought Ashtyn Coleman home with an RBI ground out of her own.

Wellesley will travel to Coast Guard on Friday afternoon, April 1, for a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader at 3:00 PM. Brandeis will be in action at Worcester St. on Friday at 4:00 PM.