SANFORD, Fla. -- Despite a home run from rookie Luke Zeccola (Garden City, N.Y./Chaminade), the Brandeis University baseball team dropped a 9-2 decision to Case Western Reserve University today at the 2015 University Athletic Association (UAA) Tournament at Sanford Memorial Stadium in Florida today. With the loss, the Judges fall to 2-7 overall, 0-3 in the UAA. The Spartans improve to 2-1 overall and in the league.

Zeccola's home run was a solo shot in the sixth inning. He became the third Brandeis rookie to go deep this season, joining Ryan Pocock (Westford, Mass./Westford) and Nick Falkson (Dedham, Mass./Thayer Acad.).

Pocock drove in Brandeis's other run today, with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the third. Unfortunately, that was the only offense the Judges were able to muster, despite three-hit performances at the plate from junior CF Liam O'Connor (Avon, Conn./Avon) and junior LF Ryan Healy (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon). The pair accounted for six of Brandeis's 10 hits.

Case was able to take advantage of their 12 hits, scoring multiple runs in four of their nine at-bats. The Spartans scored two unearned runs in the top of the first, aided by a wild pick-off attempt by junior Sam Miller (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury). Case added two more run in the third when Andrew Gronski doubled in a run and then scored three batters later on a Robert Winemiller hit through the infield.

The Spartans added two more runs in the sixth and three in the seventh to pull away for the win.

Miller suffered the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season. He allowed eight hits and six runs (four earned) in 5.2 innings of work. He struck out four and walked one and also hit a batter. Case's Kevin Johnstone allowed 10 hits and two earned runs in seven innings of work, striking out seven without a walk. Winemiller and Ben Murphy retired the last six hitters of the game to seal the win. 

Brandeis is back in action in the UAA tomorrow against 9th-ranked Emory at 11 a.m.