SANFORD, Fla. - An early grand slam sunk the Brandeis baseball team in their second game at the University Athletic Association tournament at Historic Sanford Stadium today as the Judges dropped a 7-2 decision to the University of Rochester.
Brandeis (3-4, 1-1 UAA) had runners on second and third in the bottom of the third inning after junior C Artie Posch (Hopedale, Mass./Hopedale) singled and junior 3B James Likis (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) doubled, but the Judges could not push them across. Rochester (7-0, 3-0 UAA) took advantage of its first big chance in the top of the fourth, as the Yellowjackets loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of singles and a hit batter. That brought up senior 2B J.J. Vanderstyne (Victor, N.Y./Victor), who made Brandeis junior Drew Brzozowski (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) pay with a grand slam.
UR added two more runs in the fourth, both unearned, on a two-run single by junior 3B Blayne Fuke (Kailua, Hawaii/Mid-Pacific Institute) and one in the seventh on a hit by senior C Ryan Sullivan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton). The Judges got two runs of their own in the eighth, when sophomore catcher Zach Wooley (Argyle, Texas/Jesuit College Prep) plated senior DH Nick Gallagher (Southboro, Mass./St. John's) with a single and Likis brought home junior John O'Brion (Portland, Maine/Portland) with a ground out, but it wasn't enough.
The Judges had no multiple hitters, and Likis's double was the only extra-base hit. Brzozowski suffered his first loss of the season, pitching four innings of six-hit ball, striking out four and walking one. UR senior Blair Veenma (Penfield, N.Y./Fairport) earned the win by scattering four hits over seven innings, fanning seven and walking just one.
Brandeis plays tomorrow afternoon against Case Western Reserve University at 1 p.m.