ATLANTA, Ga. – The Brandeis University erased a six-run deficit today at Emory University, but the host Eagles broke an 11-11 deadlock with a the game-winning run in the eighth inning to take a 12-11 University Athletic Association decision today at Chappell Park in Atlanta. With the loss, the Judges fall to 16-9, 6-7 in the UAA. The Eagles improve to 22-13, 9-4 UAA.
After the Eagles scored four runs in the first and two in the second to take a 6-0 lead, the Judges cut that lead in half with three runs in the third. With two on and one away, grad student CF Dan Frey (Ipswich, Mass./St. John's Prep) delivered a two-run double. He then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior RF Steven Simon (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) to make it 6-3.
The home team added two runs in the bottom of the inning and one more in the fourth to go back ahead, 9-3, but the Judges responded again in the fifth, scoring five runs on just three hits. With one out, grad student catcher Luke Hall (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) singled to right. Frey followed with a single, putting runners on the corners, and stole second. Junior SS Brian King (Palos Verde, Calif./Palos Verde) struck out, but the third strike eluded the catcher, allowing King to reach and Hall to score. Frey moved into scoring position, and Simon followed with his second sac fly of the game. Grad student 3B Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade) doubled in another run, then scored on an Emory error at shortstop. Emory reliever Derek Livingston came on and struggled with his control, hitting a batter and walking another to load the bases. Livingston uncorked a wild pitch to make it 9-8. With first base open, he intentionally walked grad student Mike Khoury (E. Bridgewater, Mass./E. Bridgewater) before retiring Hall on a grounder to short.
Emory extended their lead again in the fifth on a two-run triple to center field by leftfielder Henry Pelinski that made it 11-8, but Brandeis finally got the game back to even in the top of the seventh. With one out, sophomore 2B Mike DiCenso (Cranston, R.I./Moses Brown) reached on an error. The Eagles got another out, but junior LF Sam Nugent (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) singled to right to chase reliever Mike Golub. Khoury greeted Kyle Sulkowski by dropping a Texas Leaguer into shallow center making it 11-9. Hall followed by dropping a double down the left-field line, allowing Khoury to score all the way from first.
Brandeis grad student Brandon Musto (Milton, Mass./Milton) retired the Eagles in the bottom of the seventh, working around a two-out single and an error, but the Judges went in order in the top of the eighth. After giving up a leadoff single in the eighth, Musto was pulled in favor of junior Jakob Newman (Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Mira Costa). Newman issued a four-pitch walk to the first batter he faced, and the Eagles bunted the go-ahead runs into scoring position. Newman made a terrific defensive play on a soft grounder, coming off the mound to cut down a runner at the plate. With runners on the corners and two away, Eagle DH Walker Woolf delivered a line drive to center field that proved to be the game-winning hit. Emory's Aaron Mishoulam set the Judges down in order in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Brandeis was boosted by the top four hitters of their lineup, who combined to go 10-19 with two doubles, seven runs scored and five RBI. Khoury went 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, breaking a tie with his coach, Derek Carlson '91, with 154 hits. His RBI was number 122 in his career, fifth all-time, while his two runs moved him into fourth all-time with 142. Frey was 2-5 with two RBI, moving into sixth on the career list with 113. Nugent was 2-5 with two runs scored out of the leadoff slot, while Hall went 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored.
Musto suffered the loss, allowing four hits and three earned runs in four innings of relief. He struck out three and walked one, hitting a batter. He fell to 1-3 on the season.
Emory was paced by CF Ellis Schwartz, who went 3-5 with three runs scored, three RBI and a home run. Pelinski was also 3-5 with three RBI, scoring one run. He had a triple on the day. Sulkowski earned the win with 1.1 innings of work, giving up two hits and one unearned run, to move to 5-1.
Brandeis and Emory will meet again tomorrow for the middle two games of their UAA series, starting at 12 noon.