Eight is not a lucky number. With a 2-2 tie going into the eighth inning, UMass-Boston sent up 12 batters and scored eight runs on a combination of offense and ineptitude, taking the game 10-3. Tyler Robinson '08 took the loss, striking out 10 batters in 7.1 innings pitched. Chris Navis '06 led the offense, going 3-5 with a run scored. For UMass, junior outfielder Bob Kniffen went 4-5 with 2 runs, 2 runs batted in, and 2 stolen bases. The loss drops Brandeis to 17-13-1 and extends their losing skid to 4 games.
Tuesdays baseball home game didnt end well, as Amherst College designated hitter Neal Allar 08 singled through the right side to earn the game-winning RBI as the Lord Jeffs beat the Judges 5-4 on Stein Diamond. Amherst ended Brandeis starting pitcher Tim Dunphys 06 eight-game winning streak as he dropped to 8-3 on the season. Dunphy gave a valiant effort, pitching his sixth complete game of the year while allowing four earned runs and 13 hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Amherst got on the board quickly with three runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run double by first baseman Dave Levinson 06.
Brandeis answered back in the bottom of the third inning to cut the lead to one run thanks to a 2-run single by shortstop Zach Golden 06.
Amherst sophomore starting pitcher Chris Edgar and Dunphy 06 both settled in as the score remained 3-2 through six innings. With one out in the seventh inning, Amherst shortstop Zach Schonberger singled and scored on an Allars double to the gap in right-center field. The Judges narrowed the deficit in the bottom of the eighth when designated hitter Jon Winston 07 smacked his team-leading eighth home run of the season. Amherst however, added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning by executing a perfect hit-and-run with two runners on base.
Still, the Judges didnt go down without a fight. Catcher Phil Aurigemma 06 singled to lead off the inning and center fielder Chuck Sheehan 08 doubled to center field. With two runners on and no one out, Amherst senior pitcher Rob Anderson retired the next three batters on ground balls, giving up only one run to secure the win.
Top performers for Amherst included Allar with two hits and three RBI, Levinson with a 3-4 performance with two RBI and a double, and junior Jared Banner, who was 3-5 with two runs scored. Edgar improved to 3-0 with a five inning, two earned run performance. Anderson earned his fifth save of the season, allowing five hits and two runs in four innings.
Brandeis was lead by Charles Sheehan 08, who had three hits, including a double and a run scored. Golden went 1-4 with two RBI. Sheehan commented on his teams performance. Today's game was a tough loss but we cant let it bother us. We were down early in the game today, but Dunphy kept us in it and we just came up a little short of getting him another win, he said.
Before Brandeis two consecutive rainouts, the Judges lost to seventh-ranked Wheaton College 4-1. Sophomore Chris McDonough continued his breakout season with his third complete game while leading the Lyons to their 18th straight victory. Brandeis starting pitcher Craig Letendre 08 only pitched three innings, allowing six hits and one earned run.
Between the last issue of The Hoot and todays issue, the Judges have gone 7-7-1. Brandeis was scheduled to play versus UMASS-Boston on Wednesday and against Becker College on Thursday. The Judges' next game is scheduled for Sunday afternoon against Trinity College. Winston spoke about the keys to success for the rest of the regular season. We have [a few] more games to focus on and timely pitching, solid defense, and clutch hitting in key situations will allow us to be successful, he said. We need to continue to do the little things right and not make mental mistakes in order to finish off the regular season on a high note.
