The Brandeis baseball team is participating in the University Athletic Association Tournament down in Sanford, Florida this week. The team will play six games total between Tuesday March 9 and Saturday March 13.
The Judges kicked off the tournament against the Emory University Eagles. In the top of the first the Eagles got their first run off their hosts with a bases-loaded walk. Brandeis responded in the bottom half when shortstop Sean O’Hare ’12 got on base with a single to centerfield and proceeded to steal second. The Judges loaded the bases off a walk and an error that gave designated hitter Drake Livada ’10 the chance to tie the game with a grounder to second.
From that point on, though, Eagles pitcher Matthew Katten ’10 settled into a rhythm and did not allow the Judges to add another run. On the other side of the board Emory was able to take the lead a two-run homerun in the third and another in the seventh. The Eagles tacked on an additional run in the ninth to beat the Judges 7-1.
Brandeis bounced back from their disappointing loss when they faced off against the Washington University in St. Louis Bears the next morning. In the bottom of the first Wash. U put up five hits and five runs to jump out to an early lead. The Judges answered back in the top of the first with three runs and four hits of their own to get back in the game. Brandeis really opened things up in the third when they hammered the Bears with six runs and five hits but Washington University answered back in the bottom with four runs and four hits of their own to tie the game at nine apiece
The Judges grabbed the lead in the next inning with three runs off a three-run home run from Livada. They added their final run of the game in the sixth, which was enough to hold off the brief run by the Bears in the bottom of the eighth when they tacked on two additional runs.
Brandeis finished the game with a 13-11 victory. Second baseman John O’Brion ’10 led the Judges with four runs off four hits and three RBIs. Third baseman Tony Deshler ’11 also had three runs on two hits. Right fielder Chris Ferro ’13 had a two run homerun while rookie Andrew Weissenberg had three and a third innings of shutout relief pitching to help secure the win.
The Judges fell to Case Western Reserve University in a disappointing 12-5 game. Brandeis held a 4-3 lead in the third but Case tacked on three runs in the fourth to take the lead and two in the fifth to secure it. The hosts closed things out in the bottom of the eighth with an additional three runs for the win.
The men had an off day on Thursday to give them time to prepare for a double-header against Emory and Wash U. on Friday. The games will be at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. The tournament ends Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. matchup against Rochester University. Rochester currently sits at the top of the UAA with a 2-0 record in conference play and a 4-1 record overall. Emory is ranked second, having gone 2-1 in the UAA and 9-7 overall. Brandeis is currently fourth with a 1-2 record in conference play and having gone 2-5 overall.
