SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Brandeis senior catcher Artie Posch (Hopedale, Mass./Hopedale) had his second-straight big game, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and his first home run of the season, but the Judge pitching and defense couldn't hold off host Trinity (Texas) University in a 15-7 loss in the second game of a four-game trip to the Lone Star State. Brandeis fell to 0-2 on the trip, while Trinity improved to 7-1. The Judges take on the Tigers again on Friday evening.
For the second day in a row, Posch was in the mix in giving the Judges an early lead. He led off the top of th third with a single up the middle and moved to second when rookie CF Nick Cortese (Guaynabo, P.R./Baldwin School of Puerto Rico) reached on an error. Posch scored two batters later on an RBI double by sophomore RF Kenny Destremps (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee). Despite putting runners on second and third with one away, the visitors could not push across another run. In the bottom of the third, Trinity sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven runs to take a 7-1 lead. The big blow in the frame was a two-run home run by rookie 2B Kevin Clements (Pacific Grove, Calif./Pacific Grove), while an error contributed to two unearned runs.
After TU tacked on another unearned run in the fourth, Brandeis looked to get back in the game in the fifth when Posch singled to lead off the frame, but could not get anything going. In the top of the sixth, with two out, junior 3B Tony Deshler (Pepperell, Mass./Lawrence Acad.) reached on a bunt single, while senior LF James Likis (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) was hit by a pitch. That got Posch back to the plate, and he reached base in his seventh-straight at bat in a big way, launching a three-run home run to left field. It was his fourth career blast and first since 2008.
The Tigers got all three runs back in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run blast by junior catcher Kyle Felix (Woodside, Calif./Bellarmine Preparatory). Brandeis took advantage of Trinity wildness in the seventh, scoring two runs when five different Judges were hit by pitches before Posch was finally retired for the first time this season. TU struck for four more runs, three unearned, in the bottom of the seventh, while a Tiger error on a single to short by junior Eric Rosenberg (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) closed out the scoring.
Brandeis had no other multiple hitters beside Posch, but Destremps and sophomore SS Sean O'Hare (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) each had doubles. Senior Kyle Ritchie (Brewster, Mass./Nauset Regional) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) in 2.1 innings. The lefty struck out three and walked none, giving up seven hits.
The Judges and Tigers will meet again on Friday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern.