CHICAGO, Ill. -- The University of Chicago softball team capped off their 2025 season with a pair of one-run wins over Brandeis to complete their second consecutive series sweep to close out the season.

Brandeis took a 3-0 lead on the Maroons in the first inning of game one, but the UChicago bats were on fire early as they turned the deficit into a 6-3 lead with three runs in each of the first two innings. After the first three batters of the game reached for the Maroons, Natalie Antin brought home Sedona Ding on an RBI groundout, and Matilda Nelson ripped a two-run single down the right field line to level the score. Then, in the second inning, Audrey Hui singled home Madeline Murphy, and Olivia Cataldo added a two-run double down the left field line to stretch the lead to 6-3.

The Judges were able to scratch one back in the third, but their bats exploded in the fifth inning with four runs on five hits to retake the lead at 8-6. In the bottom of the inning, both Matilda Nelson and Mia Bocian reached with singles, and Anna Jensen brought home a run on an RBI single, but the Maroons would leave the tying run stranded at third. With the Maroons down to their final four outs with two outs in the sixth inning, Laila Sims sparked the Maroons with a single. She then swiped second base, and Matilda Nelson delivered one of her biggest hits of the season as she ripped a pitch over the centerfield wall to give UChicago the 9-8 lead.

Paige Heffke would earn the win in the circle as she pitched 3.0 innings with four strikeouts, allowing just one run. Alana Kimball also pitched well in relief, throwing three good innings before getting into trouble in the fourth.

In the second game of the day, Heffke returned to the circle, looking for her third win of the series, and she did not disappoint in her final appearance as a Maroon. The start was the 78th of the career and the 94th appearance of the career for Heffke, breaking the UChicago school records in both categories. The senior threw another complete game with five strikeouts and just four total hits allowed en route to her 16th win of the season and the 50th win of her career, finishing just one win shy of the all-time record held by Petra Wade.

With Heffke in the circle, the Maroons did not need much offense, but they were able to do enough. After Madeline Murphy walked in the first inning, she stole second, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on the throw to first base on a dropped third strike for the first run of the game. UChicago would have a chance to strike again in the third inning after an Anna Jensen walk and a double by Natalie Antin with just one out, but the Maroons left the runners stranded and the lead stayed at 1.

After Brandeis leveled the score at one, UChicago had another chance in the sixth inning to retake the lead with two on and one out, but again, they were unable to come up with the big hit. However, in the seventh inning, that all changed. Sedona Ding led off the inning with a single through the left side on a nine-pitch at bat, and Madeline Murphy followed that up with a bunt single to put two runners on with no outs. After a single by Natalie Antin to load the bases, Audrey Hui stepped up and ripped the walk off hit to left field for the 2-1 victory for the Maroons to cap off the season.

With the wins, the Maroons cap off their 2025 campaign with a 21-19 record and a 10-8 record in the UAA, good enough for a fourth-place finish in their first year in the conference.