SANFORD, Fla. – Eight of their nine starters had hits, including the first collegiate home run from sophomore catcher Zach Wooley (Argyle, Texas/Jesuit College Prep), the Judges scored five runs in the last three innings, but the Brandeis baseball team was not able to get an equalizer in a 9-8 loss to the University of Rochester in a UAA contest. The Judges went on to drop their conference finale, 12-0, to Emory, and finish at 2-4 in University Athletic Association action.

Rochester opened the scoring with four runs in the third inning. Key hits in the inning were an RBI triple by sophomore CF Matt Francis (E. Amherst, N.Y./Clarence) and a run-producing single from rookie catcher Casey Storme (Palo Cedro, Calif./Foothill). Forced to play catch-up, the Judges responded with three runs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore 3B Tony Deshler (Pepperell, Mass./Lawrence Acad.) plated the first two on a one-out double, while Wooley singled home the third run with a two-out single.

Rochester collected single runs in the fifth and sixth on a solo home run by junior SS Nathan Stein (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Odyssey) and an RBI hit from senior 1B Dan Brien (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) that pushed the lead to 6-3. Two-out RBI singles from senior LF Mike Alfego (Shrewsbury, Mass./St. Johns) and Deshler cut the Brandeis deficit back to one, but UR got both runs back in the bottom of the inning. Wooley led off the eighth with his first career bomb and junior 1B Drake Livada (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) singled in another run, but again the Judges could not tally an equalizer and the Yellowjackets answered in the bottom of the frame.

In the top of the ninth, a UR error and a double by junior 2B John O'Brion (Portland, Maine/Portland) put runners on second and third. Junior RF James Likis (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) reached on another error, putting the tying runner on second and the go-ahead runner on first, but a nice play on a line drive by rookie Joe Correia (Belleville, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Acad.) ended the game with a double play.

Offensively, Deshler led the way once again, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs scored and a double, while Wooley was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run. Senior James Collins (S. Boston, Mass./BB&N) suffered the loss, giving up 10 hits and five runs in five innings of work.

Against Emory, the Eagles jumped on the Judges for nine runs in the first inning on nine hits, as 15 men came to the plate. The Eagles held Brandeis to just four hits, and the game was halted after seven innings due to the UAA's mercy rule. Senior 2B Nick Gallagher (Southboro, Mass./St. Johns) had the Judges' only extra-base hit with a double, his second extra-base hit of the season.