SANFORD, Fla. – The Brandeis University baseball team suffered a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Washington University today on the fifth day of action in the University Athletic Association (UAA) tournament in Sanford Memorial Stadium in Florida.
After escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam with a 5-3 double play in the top of the inning, the Judges (2-9, 0-5 UAA) struck first in the bottom half. With two outs, rookie DH Ryan Pocock (Westford, Mass./Westford) belted his team-leading third home run of the season to left field. The round-tripper also plated classmate Nick Falkson (Dedham, Mass./Thayer Acad.), who had singled with one away. Pocock already has more home runs this season than any Judge player in the last two campaigns.
Brandeis senior starter Brent Edmunds (North Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) got another double play ball in the second, but could not avoid damage in the third, when a one-out error put two runners in scoring position. Washington (4-3, 3-2 UAA) got a sacrifice fly from 1B Zack Kessinger to cut the lead in half.
The Judges loaded the bases with no one out in the third, but Bear starting pitcher Liam Cotter induced a 5-2-3 double play and a pop to shortstop to stymie his opponents. WashU finally broke through with a big inning in the fifth, when they scored three times. After loading the bases on two singles and a walk, the Bears tied the game when all three runners stole bases on a failed squeeze attempt. The Washington hitter, catcher Kyle Kozak, then singled to left to plate the go-ahead run. Two batter later 3B Austin Darmawan knocked in the third run of the inning to make it 4-2, Bears.
Brandeis got one run back in the sixth. Senior 1B Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y./Fieldston School) doubled with one away then scored on sophomore 3B Greg Heineman's (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) single to left when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Heineman moved into scoring position on a failed pickoff attempt, but Cotter struck out the next two batters to avoid further damage.
The Bears added two insurance runs in the eighth, when leadoff hitter Max Golembo singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third Lowery brought him home on a fielder's choice, then scored when Kozak singled to center with the bases loaded.
WashU's Matt Clohisy retired six of the eight batters he faced in the eighth and ninth to secure the save.
For Brandeis, Falkson was the only multiple hitter, going 2-4 with a run scored, while Pocock's blast produce the Judges' only two RBI on the day. Edmunds (0-1) suffered the loss with eight hits and four runs (three earned) in five innings of work.
Brandeis is back in action tomorrow night against Rochester in the sixth of eight UAA contests