After losing four straight games, the Brandon softball team shut down Lapeer West in the second game of a May 9 twin bill.
The Blackhawks, who had lost the first game 5-1, outlasted West 2-0 in an 11-inning thriller. Brandon improved to 17-6 overall and 7-3 in Flint Metro League action.
Jackie Wojtkowicz shut down the Panthers for 11 innings to pick up the win. Chelsea Wengren was 3-for-6 to lead the Brandon offense, while Wojtkowicz, Meridith Dura, Annemarie Solley, and Jessica Liebner each added two hits.
In the opener, the Panthers shut down the Brandon offense, limiting the Blackhawks to one run on four hits. Brooke Schaefer provided some highlights for Brandon by going 2-for-3.
Brandon played visiting Oxford in two hard-fought games May 5, but it was the Blackhawks that came out on the losing end of both games, 6-5 and 5-4.
In the first game, Brandon spotted Oxford a 1-0 first inning lead before rallying for four in the bottom of the fourth. The Wildcats tied things up with three in the fifth inning, but Brandon reclaimed the lead 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
However, the Wildcats mounted one final attack, scoring twice in the top of the seventh, which proved to be just enough for Oxford to win.
In the nightcap, Brandon claimed a 1-0 lead at the end of the first, then reclaimed the lead 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the third, after Oxford had scored in the top of the inning.
However, a four-run Oxford fourth inning proved to be just enough for the Wildcats to prevail, although the Blackhawks scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Wengren, Wojtkowicz and Lauren Ross each tallied three hits for the Blackhawks.
On May 4, the Blackhawks lost another tight contest, this time 2-1 against Armada.