WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University baseball team
scored in each of the first four innings, but visiting Amherst
College held them to just four hits over the last five frames while
taking advantage of Brandeis miscues to score five unearned runs
and claim a 10-6 non-conference victory on Stein Diamond today.
Brandeis (14-14) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings.
Sophomore infielder Drake Livada (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) singled
home a run in the first. In the second, after sophomore James Likis
(Cambridge, Mass.) doubled to put runners on second and third,
senior SS Malcolm Cone-Coleman (Portland, Maine) drove in a run on
a grounder to second and classmate CF Chuck Sheehan (Lexington,
Mass.) laid down a successful suicide squeeze for the three-run
lead.
Amherst (17-7-1) answered in the top of the third. The Lord Jeffs
loaded the bases with no outs against Brandeis sophomore Kyle
Ritchie (Brewster, Mass.). Junior 2B Mike Neff (New York, N.Y.)
scored on a wild pitch, and rookie RF Brian Merrigan (Holbrook,
Mass.) drove in a run on a grounder to short against relieve Tyler
Robinson (Manotick, Ont.). Robinson struck out the next batter, but
a grounder to third that should have ended the inning was booted,
allowing the Lord Jeffs to tie the score.
Brandeis reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore
catcher Artie Posch (Hopedale, Mass.) singled in the go-ahead run
with runners at second and third. The Judges then successfully
executed a double-steal, with rookie DH Pat Nicholson (E. Walpole,
Mass.) scoring to give Brandeis a 5-3 lead.
The lead was short-lived, as Amherst answered with five runs in the
top of the fourth. After back-to-back singles to start the frame,
another error at third base loaded the bags with none out. Robinson
traded a run for an out on a grounder by rookie SS Jose Espinoza
(Ridgefield, Conn.), but senior catcher Josh Card (No. Adams,
Mass.) and Merrigan followed with RBI singles to give Amherst the
6-5 lead. With runners at second and third, the seventh run came
home on passed ball on a third strike. Senior 1B Neal Allar (Floyds
Knobs, Ind.) followed with a long fly ball to center that Sheehan
made a diving catch on. The Judges were able to double the runner
off first, but not before the run scored from third to make it
8-5.
Brandeis got one back in the fourth on a similar play, when Livada
flied out to right with runners on the corners. Sheehan scored, but
the Brandeis runner on first was caught napping and thrown out at
first.
Both pitching staffs settled down after that. Amherst rookie Ryan
Healy (Westport, Conn.) was especially effective, allowing just two
hits in three innings of work and striking out two to pick up his
first collegiate win. Aside from two more unearned insurance runs
in the seventh off of Robinson, relievers James Collins (So.
Boston, Mass.) and Justin Duncombe (Canyon County, Calif.) stayed
out of trouble.
Brandeis was paced by Livada, who was 1-4 with two RBI. Posh,
O'Brion, rookie outfielder Tony Deshler (Pepperell, Mass.) and
rookie outfielder Eric Rosenberg (Oakland, N.J.) all had multiple
hits for the Judges. Robinson suffered the loss, falling to 5-2, as
he allowed six hits and seven runs – only three of which were
earned – in 4.2 innings. He fanned four and walked two.
Amherst rallies to down baseball team, 10-6
Posted: Apr 22, 2008