SANFORD, Fla. – The Brandeis baseball team suffered its second loss of the University Athletic Association tournament today, falling to Emory, 12-5, for the second time. The Judges fall to 7-5, 2-2 in the UAA, while the Eagles improve to 11-7, 3-1 UAA.
The Judges managed to jump out to a 5-1 lead in this one despite managing just one hit. The Eagles scored first on a pair of second-inning doubles, but the Judges answered with three in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore catcher Chris Ferro (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) created the first run when he walked, stole second and third and scored on senior Tony Deshler's (Pepperell, Mass./Lawrence Acad.) grounder to short that was thrown away. After senior 1B Eric Rosenberg (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) was hit by a pitch, Emory sophomore Caleb Long got back-to-back strikeouts, though he also uncorked a wild pitch that put both runners in scoring position. Rookie SS Dom Schwartz (San Francisco, Ca./Lowell) stepped to the plate and delivered a solid single to center field, giving the Judges the two-run lead.
Brandeis increased their margin to 5-1 in the third. Sophomore DH Kenny Destremps (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee) walked to lead off the inning, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch. Junior 3B Jon Chu (Hollis Hills, N.Y./Bronx H.S. of Science), who reached on the error, moved to third on a pair of WPs, and Ferro followed by walking again and swiping his career-high third base of the game. Deshler grounded to third, but Chu was cut down at the plate. With runners on the corners, Deshler and Ferro executed a double steal, with Ferro crossing the plate while Deshler was caught in a pickle.
Unfortunately for the Judges, they would manage just two more base-runners after that, as Long and two Emory relievers combined for the one-hitter, tying a UAA record. The Eagle staff struck out 10 hitters and walked just two after the third inning. At the plate, EU gave the Judges a taste of their own medicine in the fourth, scoring three times on just two hits thanks a hit batter, a walk and an error, with rookie RF Brandon Hannon plating the only RBI of the frame to cut the lead to 5-4.
The Eagles then broke things open in the fifth, when they sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs. Big blows were a two-run double by senior catcher Patrick Riebsame and a two-run single by senior DH Evan Plys. EU would tack on three more runs, including a Riebsame solo home run, in the seventh and eighth inning to secure the win and put destiny in their own hands for the 2011 UAA title.
Brandeis returns to action in the UAA tournament tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. with their only game against Case Western Reserve before wrapping up conference action Monday at 9 a.m. against Washington University.
Emory 12, Brandeis University 5 (Mar 12, 2011 at Sanford, FL)
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Emory............... 010 350 120 - 12 12 2 (11-7, 3-1 UAA)
Brandeis University. 032 000 000 - 5 1 1 (7-5, 2-2 UAA)
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Pitchers: Emory - Long; Orlovsky(7); Gordon, K(9) and Riebsame. Brandeis University -
Markel, Colin; Tynan, Alex(5); Stern, Rafi(8); Weiss, Stefan(9) and Ferro, Chris; Burns, Jake.
Win-Long(2-0) Loss-Markel, Colin(0-1) T-2:54 A-125
HR EU - Riebsame (3).
Weather: Sunny, 70 degrees
Markel faced 2 batters in the 5th.