In the top of the seventh and final inning in the softball team's second game of a doubleheader against Wesleyan University last Saturday, starting pitcher Emily Vaillette '11 found herself in a familiar situation with the bases loaded against her and her team clinging to a small lead. The last time this happened to her was last Friday in the second game of a doubleheader against Babson College. Armed with a 4-1 lead in the final inning of that game, Vaillette gave up four straight hits to allow Babson to tie the game, and the Judges eventually lost in extra innings. Against Wesleyan, Vaillette was given a 1-0 lead and once again found herself struggling, giving up three walks to load the bases with two outs.

This time, however, Vaillette was able to come through when she needed to.

Vaillette induced Wesleyan sophomore pitcher Chelsea Swete to pop out, giving the Judges the 1-0 victory and a sweep of the doubleheader after winning the first game 4-3. This concluded a week where the team went 6-2 to improve to 20-12 overall.

"I thought [Vaillette] did well bouncing back after [last Friday]. It was a tough loss, and she came out; she controlled [Wesleyan] all the way through 6 1/3 [innings] basically, and then we had a little trouble there in the end, but she pulled it out," coach Jessica Johnson said on the pitcher's performance last Saturday. "She stepped up for us and she got the job done, so kudos to her."

The Judges started the week with doubleheader sweeps at Wheaton College last Tuesday and at Salve Regina University last Thursday, combining to outscore both squads 29-10 over the four game span. They then dropped a doubleheader last Friday at Babson before sweeping Wesleyan last Saturday.

Brandeis scored its only run in the second game against Wesleyan in the bottom of the sixth inning. After left fielder Brittany Grimm '12 singled to center field, third baseman Samantha Worth '09 hit a single that was misplayed by Wesleyan rookie center fielder Chrissy Bello, allowing Grimm to score the eventual winning run from first base.

It was a moment of redemption for Worth, who, in the bottom of the fourth inning, flied out with the bases loaded and two outs.

"Well, I was disappointed with myself not scoring any runs with the bases loaded," Worth said. "I think that's something definitely that our team needs to work on. But then coming up [in the sixth inning] knowing I had a second chance, . I figured, 'Hey we're running out of time; I got to get it done,' so I just visualized what needed to be done, and I succeeded."

Vailette was strong in the win, giving up just three hits and three walks. Before the seventh inning, Wesleyan's only real threat to score was in the sixth inning, when senior shortstop Molly O'Connell singled to right field and advanced to third on an error by Brandeis rookie right fielder Lara Hirschler '12 with two outs. Vaillette struck out Wesleyan junior catcher Taylor Zavadsky to end the threat.

In the first game against Wesleyan, the Judges took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a single by shortstop Chelsea Korp '10 that scored center fielder Carly Schmand '11. Wesleyan then tied the score in the top of the sixth inning on a single to center field by senior left fielder Julia Chamberlin.

The Cardinals took a 3-1 in the following inning, but the Judges came right back. After Brandeis pulled within 3-2, a walk drawn by third baseman Danielle Lavallee '11 loaded the bases. Catcher Erin Ross '10 then hit a long fly ball to center field that Bello could not handle, allowing the eventual tying and winning runs to score.

"It felt good coming off the bat, and then when I saw it I thought I got a little under it, . and then when I saw [Bello] go all the way back I got excited," Ross said of her game-winning hit. "I knew I had to get contact at least because everybody else did their job and got on base, so I couldn't just leave them hanging."

The Judges only losses of the week came in a doubleheader at Babson College last Friday. In the first game, the Judges went ahead 3-0 in the second inning, only to see Babson tie the score in the bottom of the third inning and eventually score two more runs to win 5-3.

"Against Babson we basically gave two games away," Johnson said.

The Judges next week play two home doubleheaders Wednesday versus Salem State University at 4 p.m. and Thursday versus Rhode Island College at 4 p.m.

A doubleheader yesterday against Pine Manor College ended too late for this edition.