This past week, the Brandeis baseball team dropped two more games to Amherst and Keene State 13-6 and 16-8 respectively. Since beginning the season 4-3 after a long Florida road trip, the team has gone a dismal 2-25. Their record now stands at 6-28 (1-7 UAA).
On Tuesday, the Judges hosted Amherst College. In the first inning, both Amherst and Brandeis each scored two runs. In the top of the frame, Amherst registered the runs on back-to-back home runs from shortstop Taiki Kasuga and designated hitter Kevin Heller. Brandeis came right back and tied the game in the bottom of the frame when second-baseman Sean O’Hare ’12 cranked a two-run shot to left-centerfield.
After the Judges held Amherst scoreless in the top of the second and third innings, O’Hare launched another home run to give the Judges a 3-2 lead. This was his first collegiate two-home run game giving O’Hare a career-high three home runs this season and eight in his collegiate career.
In the same inning, the Judges added another run when designated hitter Pat Nicholson M.A. ’12 singled with one out. Pinch runner Joe Galli ’12 ran for Nicholson and scored two batters later after a double from Pat Seaward ’13 and a suicide squeeze bunt from Zach Malis ’13.
Brandeis further extended the lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI double from catcher Kenny Destremps ’12.
Unfortunately, Amherst pitcher senior Hayden Metz went on next to retire five of the six batters he faced, giving his team the opportunity they needed to mount a rally as the Judges could not maintain the lead.
In the top of the sixth inning, it appeared starting pitcher Kyle Brenner ’15 would keep cruising along after he retired the first two batters he faced. He was unable to retire another batter, however, as the next seven Amherst players were able to reach base. The biggest blow was a bases-clearing double from senior John Wagner that turned a 5-3 Judges lead into a 6-5 deficit. Wagner then scored on a single from Kasuga and the visitors ended the inning with a 7-5 lead.
With the lead in hand, Amherst quickly put the game away, scoring three runs in the seventh inning, two runs in in the eighth inning and a run in the ninth inning while Brandeis was only able to muster one run after the fourth inning.
For the game, there were nine different players with multiple hits between the two teams. Kasuga had the best day at the plate for either team, going 4-of-6 with four RBIs and a home run. The top three hitters in the Brandeis lineup all went 3-of-5 with O’Hare leading the way with two home runs and three RBIs. Right fielder Zach Bardwell ’15 also scored three runs.
Brenner took the loss for the Judges allowing nine hits and seven runs during 5.2 innings of work. He struck out four while walking four.
Immediately the following day, the Judges returned to the road to face Keene State.
Unfortunately, the Owls bum rushed starting pitcher Alex Tynan ’12, tagging him for seven runs in the first inning. Peter Burgio started the damage with a two-run triple to left-center field, and then Larry Longo launched an RBI double. Chuck Vogt doubled down the left-field line to drive in another run and Tanner Chase added a two-run single. Greg Bates completed the onslaught with an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Tynan did not make it out of the first inning.
While the Judges’ offense was able to get going in the third inning, the team was unable to climb out of the early hole. The Judges scored three runs in the third inning on RBIs from O’Hare, Brenner and Seaward, but Keene State got a run back on an RBI single from Kyle Morrill in the bottom frame of the inning.
O’Hare led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo shot to trim the deficit to 8-4, but once again the Owls were able to get the run back in the bottom half of the inning.
After holding the Judges scoreless in the top half of the sixth inning, the Owls broke the game open. Longo launched a two-run home run in the sixth inning and then he drove in two more runs with a single in the five-run seventh inning.
Brandeis scored three runs in the eighth inning and a run in the ninth inning but the Judges still ultimately fell to Keene State 16-8.
Seaward, Brenner, O’Hare and Bardwell each finished the game with two hits in a 13-hit performance for the Judges.
After a promising start to the season, this season has become a lost cause for the Judges. The Judges will look to close out the season with a modest winning streak when they travel to Endicott on Saturday for a 1 p.m. matchup.
