Judges hold off Pride on the road, 5-4

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Brandeis University baseball senior LF Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass. / Hanover) went 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot today as the Judges scored three early runs and hung on to defeat the host Springfield College Pride, 5-4.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 4-9.
• Springfield, 6-8-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges jumped on Springfield starter Ryan Baker for three runs in the top of the first inning. Simon led off the game with a single and moved to third on a double by first-year DH Alex Kim (Basking Ridge, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep).
• Senior CF Sam Nugent (Mansfield, Mass. / Mansfield) broke the ice with a sacrifice fly, and senior 3B Brian King (Palos Verde, Calif./Rancho Verde) followed with a triple. King scored on Brandeis's third extra-base hit of the inning, a double by senior SS Drew Michaud (Madison, Conn / Xavier).
• Springfield got one run back against Brandeis senior Asher Kaplan (Jamaica Plain, Mass. / Boston Latin) in the bottom of the frame, as Cadin Maynard singled with two away and scored all the way from first on a double by Ryan Sorgi.
• Kaplan settled down after that, retiring 13 of the last 15 batters he faced.
• Brandeis scored another run in the third when Nugent led off with a single and scored two batters later on a double by sophomore catcher Justin Keeler (Seymore, Conn. / St. Joseph's).
• Simon drove in what proved to be the game-winning run in the top of the sixth on an infield single to the shortstop that brought home Michaud.
• Springfield got one run back in the bottom of the inning when they put runners on the corners against grad student Gavin Dauer (Winchester, Mass. / St. John's Prep) with none away. Dauer traded a run for a double play that cut the Judges' lead to 5-2.
• SC made it a one-run game in the bottom of the eighth against Judge senior Jakob Newman (Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Mira Costa) when RF Andrew McCarty delivered a two-out, two-run single.
• Newman got a strikeout to end the Pride's threat and worked around a one-out single in the ninth to close things out.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Eight different Judges accounted for their 10 hits, with only Simon's 3-5 performance at the top of the order representing a multi-hit game.
• Four different players each had a run scored and an RBI for Brandeis.
• Keeler's double was the only extra-base hit after the first inning for the Judges.
• Kaplan improved to 2-1 on the season with five innings of three-hit ball, allowing one earned run. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.
• Dauer and senior Reid Latham (Madison, Conn / Xavier) each tossed a scoreless inning before Newman came on and earned a save with the last two innings of work. It was the fourth save of his career.
• Springfield's Baker suffered the loss with four innings of work. He allowed seven hits and four earned runs, fanning four without issuing a walk.
• Three Pride relievers threw five innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one earned run. They struck out five and walked three.
• Maynard and infielder Joe Traversa each had two hits for the home team, while Sorgi's double was their only extra-base hit in seven total.

UP NEXT

• The Judges head to New York for a four-game University Athletic Association series at NYU that kicks off Friday afternoon.