In a week of otherwise dominant baseball, the Judges found that they may be their own toughest opponents. Brandeis' 8-3 win at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth last Sunday, which left them with an 11-8 record, may not have been enough to wash out the bad taste of a doubleheader loss against Babson on Saturday. Shortstop Zach Golden '06 led the way for the Judges against the Corsairs with four hits in five at-bats, including one home run and two RBIs. Bryan Lambert '05 went 2-4 with two RBIs, while Tyler Robinson '08 pitched the complete game despite allowing 13 hits.

Golden's performance at the plate against the Corsairs contrasted his defense during the doubleheader against Babson. With the Judges protecting a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning of the first game, a ground ball bounced through the usually reliable shortstop's legs, allowing the Beavers to tie the game and continue the inning. Babson took the lead in the next at-bat when the Judges missed another double play on an errant throw by second baseman B.J. Belair '05. Babson won the first game 6-4.

"As a fielding team we are usually very good," pitcher Aaron Landes '05 said. "[Golden] is one of the best fielders out there, and [Belair] has made only two errors all year. To lose on errors by our two best fielders was shocking."

The Judges' fielding woes continued into the night as an errant throw into left field on a steal attempt brought in the last of Babson's four runs in the third inning. The Judges scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at four. An RBI by catcher Chris Navis '05 put them ahead in the fifth inning. However, the Beavers staged another rally in the seventh inning to win 7-5.

The Judges won four of their first five games last week, defeating Western New England College 1-0 on April 4, Albertus Magnus College 8-2 last Wednesday, Fitchburg State College 7-4 last Thursday and Union College 3-2 last Friday. The streak was interrupted last Tuesday with a 12-4 loss to Nichols College.

The loss to Nichols was especially bitter for the Judges. Not only did it snap a five-game winning streak, it featured the return to Brandeis of Nichols' head coach Brian Lambert '98 (Bryan's '05 brother), who was an assistant coach for the Judges from 1999 until last year and the starting centerfielder from 1995 to 1998.

Six of the Bison's batters had multiple hits. It was the first time in five games that Brandeis gave up more than three runs. Jeff Bourdon '07 had two hits in four at-bats for the Judges.

"It's a shame because that was a really big game for our coach [Pete Varney]," Bourdon said. "We just came out flat, didn't hit the ball, and got beat."

Dunphy and Bryan Lambert combined for the four-hit shutout of Western New England College on April 4. Brandeis' lone run was unearned, as Golden reached third base on an error in the fourth inning and was driven home on a single by Belair, who had three of the Judges' five hits in the game.

Dunphy struck out eight batters and walked just one in seven and two-thirds innings of work to improve his record to 4-1. Lambert, pitching in relief, walked one batter and allowed another to reach on an error, but worked his way out of the jam to pick up the save.

"I had a really good day, but if it's not me it's always somebody else," Belair said. "It's good to see that we are a very timely hitting team. We are not the best offensive team, but we always have someone to produce when we need it."

Although he was credited with a blown save against Babson, Lambert still had an excellent week on the mound and at the plate. He hit his first career home run against Union last Friday, and recorded his seventh save of the season to tie David McDonald's '89 single-season school record.

With 14 career saves, Lambert is three shy of tying McDonald's record in that category as well.

The Judges play five games this week, starting with a home game against Tufts University at 3:30 p.m. The Judges also host Worcester Polytechnic Institute Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and Bentley College on Thursday at 3 p.m. before playing road games against Bridgewater State College on Friday and Roger Williams University on Saturday.