WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Brandeis University baseball team is off to its best start since 2003 after today's 15-1 victory over Bates College at Chain-O-Lakes Park in Winter Park, Florida, as part of the RussMatt Invitational. The game was halted after seven innings due to a tournament 10-run rule. The Judges improve to 4-0, scoring in double digits in four-straight games for the first time since April of 1998. The Bobcats fall to 1-3 on the campaign.
The Judges were led by their two- and three-hitters, junior right fielder Mike Khoury (E. Bridgewater, Mass./E. Bridgewater) and junior first baseman Isaac Fossas (Dudley, Mass./Milton Academy), who combined to go 6-fo-8 with 10 RBI. Khoury was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and six runs batted in. He drilled a grand slam in the Judges' five-run third inning. It was Khoury's first homer of the season and the 12th of his career. It was also his first collegiate grand slam. Khoury added a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth. Fossas went 3-for-4 with four RBI, a double and a stolen base. He had a two-run single with two outs in the second inning that made it a 4-1 game, while adding a two-run two-bagger in the fifth.
Rookie left fielder Sam Nugent (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) had two RBI on the day, while junior catcher Luke Hall (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown), rookie third baseman Brian King (Palos Verde, Calif. / Palos Verde) and sophomore DH Aneesh Avancha (Plantsville, Conn. / Chase Collegiate School) each had two hits.
The Judges got a strong five-inning start from senior lefty Kyle Shedden (Spencer, Mass./David Prouty). After giving up a run on two hits to the first two batters of the first inning, he allowed five hits and just one Bobcat past first base the rest of the way. Shedden struck out seven – five looking – and walked just one to earn his first collegiate win. Senior Donnie Weisse III (Swampscott, Mass. / St. Mary's) gave up just one hit and struck out two over the final two innings.
Bates used four pitchers in the contest, with starter Jared Panalony taking the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings. Bobcat center fielder Christian Beal doubled and scored on a single by second baseman Zach Avila in the first inning for their lone run.
Brandeis will wrap up their February break trip to Florida on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. against Augustana (Ill.). A win in that contest would give the Judges their first 5-0 start since 2002.