WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University baseball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests against Emerson College today in the first-ever meetings between the two schools. The Lions won the opener, 7-2, and took game two, 9-6.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 3-9.
• Emerson, 11-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME ONE (Emerson, 7-2)

• Brandeis opened the scoring on the day, with senior LF Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass. / Hanover) singling to break the ice, while first-year DH Alex Kim (Basking Ridge, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) brought home the second on an error hit to the second baseman.
• Emerson blew things open in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs on four hits, two walks and one Brandeis error. The big blow was a grand slam by CF Nicholas Favazzo that snapped a 2-2 tie.
• The Lions added another run in the fifth on a triple by SS Thai Morgan.
• Emerson's AJ Ortega tossed a complete-game to improve to 2-0 on the season. He allowed eight hits and two runs (one earned), striking out six and walking one.
• Brandeis rookie Tyler Hill (Lansdale, Pa / La Salle College High School) shouldered the loss, allowing three hits and six runs (five earned) in 3.1 innings of work. He struck out four and walked three.
• Simon paced the Brandeis offense, going 3-4 with an RBI.
• Morgan was Emerson's only multiple hitter, going 2-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME TWO (Emerson, 9-6)

• Brandeis struck first again in game two, with senior 3B Brian King (Palos Verde, Calif. / Palos Verde) driving in a run on a single. Sophomore DH Aidan Schleer (Sparta, N.J. / Avon Old Farms (Conn.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and a wild pitch scored a third run before the Lions got out of the inning.
• Emerson had another big inning, this time the third when they scored six runs again on just four hits. The big blow this time was a bases-loaded double by RF Blake Benway that made it 5-3. Benway scored on a single catcher Robby Posio.
• The Lions added a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take a 9-3 lead.
• The Judges staged a rally in the seventh when senior SS Drew Michaud (Madison, Conn / Xavier) drilled a three-run home run with one out. Brandeis put two more runners on after that with a couple of walks, but they could not convert them into runs.
• Sophomore James Murphy (Providence, R.I. / Moses Brown) took the loss for Brandeis, giving up four runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batters. He struck out four in 2.2 innings of work.
• Chris Lowe threw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief after the Lions fell behind to earn the win. He allowed two hits and struck out seven.
• Simon added two more hits in the second game, adding a stolen base. King went 2-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI, while Michaud was 2-3 with three RBI and run scored and the home run, his first of the season and the fifth of his career.
• Emerson's 1-3 hitters went 5-12 with three RBI and four runs.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis is at Springfield College on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. for a non-conference tilt before starting their first University Athletic Association series next Friday afternoon at NYU.