Baseball picks up first UAA win in split with NYU

Tommy Sand '21 (Sportspix)
Tommy Sand '21 (Sportspix)

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University baseball team earned its first conference win of the season today, splitting a doubleheader with the New York University Violets. NYU took the first game, 18-2, while the Judges took the second, 7-5. The Judges are now 3-20 (1-10 UAA) and the Violets are 24-8 (4-7 UAA).

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE (NYU 18, Brandeis 2; seven innings)

  • The Violets set the tone early, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Colman Hendershot picked up where he left off yesterday, getting the scoring started with a two-run home run to centerfield. After a single and a walk, Scott Hilbrandt cleared the bases again, hitting a line-drive home run over the right field fence.

  • After adding two runs in the second, NYU again scored five in the top of the third. Francis Prior and Coltrane Tait each had two-RBI singles in the inning.

  • The Judges got on the board in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Connor Sheehan (Lincoln, R.I. / Lincoln) led off with a single, and classmate Dan Frey (Ipswich, Mass. / St. John's Prep.) hit a two-out double to make the score 12-1.

  • Brandeis loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but was unable to bring anyone home.

  • Hendershot struck again in the fifth, hitting his fifth home run of the series to left field, and making it 13-1. NYU tacked on three more runs that inning, two coming on a David Conforti double to right-center.

  • Brandeis scored its second run in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Calif. / Chaminade) laid down a perfect bunt leading off the inning, and Frey followed with a single. They each advanced a base on a wild pitch, and then Oppenheimer scored on a passed ball.

  • NYU's Tait finished up the scoring in the top of the sixth, following up a Hendershot single with a two-run home run to left-center.

  • Hendershot and Tait paced the Violets at the plate, each going 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Prior also had three hits, and had two RBIs of his own.

  • For the Judges, Oppenheimer and Frey each had two hits in the game. Sophomore Dan O'Leary (Lynnfield, Mass. / Lynnfield) had a double in the fourth inning.

  • Ford Ladd earned the win for NYU, moving to 5-2 on the year. He threw six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out seven. Ryan Allen was perfect in the final frame, striking out two.

  • Sophomore Albert Gutierrez (Miami, Fla. / Belen Jesuit Prep.) took the loss for Brandeis, dropping to 0-5 on the season. Freshman Rik Jhamb (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Advanced Math & Science Acad.) kept the Violets off the board the last 1.1 innings, striking out two in the process.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO (Brandeis 7, NYU 5)

  • For the third straight game, the Violets got the scoring started in the top of the first. This time it was on a two-out double from Tait, bringing in Ryan McLaughlin to make it 1-0.

  • Brandeis got even in the third, when freshman Tommy Sand (South Windsor, Conn. / South Windsor) doubled and Oppenheimer poked one through the right side to bring him home.

  • Things were quiet until the bottom of the fifth, when Brandeis grabbed the lead on Sand's first career home run, a two-run shot to put the Judges ahead 3-1.

  • NYU responded right away, scoring two runs on a Hendershot single and error by the right fielder. The damage could have been worse, but the Judges were able to cut down a runner at home on a wild pitch, and freshman Mason Newman (New Rochelle, N.Y. / New Rochelle) came on in relief and stranded two runners.

  • Brandeis went right back to it in the bottom of the sixth, showing off their patience as they loaded the bases via two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Sophomore Donnie Weisse (Swampscott, Mass / St. Mary's) continued the trend with another hit-by-pitch, bringing home a run. With the bases still loaded, Oppenheimer continued producing with a clutch two-out, two-RBI single to give the Judges some breathing room and a 6-3 lead.

  • The Violets cut their deficit to one in the eighth, when Hendershot singled, Tait, doubled, and Cooper Halpern brought them both home with a single to left-center field.

  • The Judges got an insurance run via Sand's second home run of the day, an impressive line drive that easily cleared the center field fence. The hit was Sand's third extra base-hit of the game, as he went 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBIs and four runs scored.

  • Newman retired the Violets with ease in the ninth, coaxing a flyout and two groundouts to close out the victory.

  • In addition to Sand's big day at the plate, freshman Mike Khoury (East Bridgewater, Mass. / East Bridgewater) had two hits (one a double) and a walk, scoring a run.

  • Newman earned the victory, moving to 2-0. He threw the final 3.2 innings, giving up two runs and striking out three, and getting out of a couple key jams. Sophomore Tim Lopez (Brooklyn, N.Y. / East Side Community) started for the Judges, going the first 5.1 innings, giving up three runs, striking out four, and looking very impressive for stretches.

  • Gabriel Golob took the loss for NYU, throwing five-plus innings while giving up four runs on six hits, striking out six.

UP NEXT

  • Brandeis and NYU meet again tomorrow for the Judges' Senior Day game, beginning at 11 AM. Seniors Sean O'Neill (Reading, Mass. / Reading Memorial) and Bradley Bousquet (Athol, Mass. / Athol) will be honored before the game.

--Corey Cohen