Despite not qualifying for the chance to defend their NESCAC tournament title of last year, the Wesleyan softball team ended their 2011 campaign on a high note.  They swept Hamilton in a three-game series, ending both home games of Saturday’s doubleheader in the sixth inning via the eight-run mercy rule.  After the 10-0 and 14-6 victories, the teams traveled to Hamilton for a single game on Sunday, which the Cardinals won by a close score of 10-9.

Not only did the team finish its season strong, Talia Bernstein ’11 had a career week. She passed Meaghan Dendy ’10 for Wesleyan’s hits record, tallying the 192nd hit of her career in the team’s final game at Hamilton.  She was awarded her second NESCAC Player of the Week honor of this season for her .500 performance at the plate last week, notching eight hits and seven RBIs in sixteen appearances as the Cardinals went 3-1.  Bernstein also sparked the Cardinals’ victory in the final game by hitting two home runs and going 4-5.  She raised her career batting average to an outstanding .391 (including .437 this year), striking out just 13 times over her 536 career plate appearances.

The Cardinals will look to improve on their 12-19 overall record next season, although they did go 6-6 in the NESCAC.  Despite the loss of Bernstein to graduation, the rest of the team will return for coach Jen Lane’s 11th season.