The setting sun in the desert landscape last Saturday night marked the end of the baseball team's inaugural trip to Peoria, Ariz., a trip that began with two wins and ended in a three-game losing streak. The final two of those losses occurred last Saturday as the Judges fell to Hastings College (Nebraska) 8-3 in the afternoon and 6-2 against Washington and Lee University (Virginia) in the nightcap. The Judges also lost to Washington and Lee 7-4 last Friday after beginning the trip with an 11-8 win over Whitworth College (Washington) and a 19-15 victory over Hastings last Thursday, putting the team's record at 2-3 to start the season.

The trip was a first for the Judges, who normally do not begin their season until March. It was financed exclusively by fundraising money and donations accumulated by parents and team supporters. They raised over $25,000 in under a year, according to Associate Director of Athletics Lynne Dempsey.

The Judges' bats fell silent last Saturday afternoon, scoring only three runs against Hastings after previously scoring 19 runs in their last meeting.

"We were taking way too many strikes, especially fastballs, early in the count; [we were not] not being aggressive enough and it showed," infielder Nick Gallagher '09 said.

Pitcher James Collins '09, who had recorded a save in the victory against Whitworth just two days earlier, took the loss for Brandeis to fall to 0-1 on the season.

The frustrations continued for the Judges in the rematch against Washington and Lee, who had beaten Brandeis 7-4 the day before. Captain and outfielder Mike Alfego '09 and infielder Tony Deshler '11 paced the Judges with two hits apiece, but the offense only managed to push across two runs in the defeat.

Pitcher Justin Duncombe '11 started the game and, despite surrendering five walks, only allowed one run through five-and-two-thirds innings. The Judges led 2-1 entering the sixth inning, but Duncombe was lifted in favor of fellow left-handed reliever Alex Tynan '12 after Washington and Lee tied the score.

Tynan lasted only two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs, both earned, which proved to be the difference in the game. Pat Nicholson '11, a winner earlier in the week against Hastings, tried to stop the bleeding but also allowed two more earned runs as the Judges fell 6-2.

The Judges' offensive struggles were a far cry from their performance on their first day of action last Thursday, when they posted 30 runs in two wins over Whitworth and Hastings. They beat Whitworth 11-8, rallying from a 8-7 deficit when shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 singled home Gallagher and Alfego for the tying and go-ahead runs and then topped Hastings 19-15.

The top half of the lineup carried the offensive load in the first game with seven hits in 16 combined at-bats. First baseman Drake Livada '10 led the team with a two-hit, three-RBI performance, while Alfego and Gallagher combined to score six of the team's eleven runs despite both going hitless. Relief pitcher Nick Pollack '10 notched his first career victory, pitching a scoreless eighth inning, while Collins earned the save.

The second game saw an offensive explosion highlighted by Deshler's offensive performance, which featured four RBIs including a three-run home run, the team's first of the season.

During the trip, the Judges shared facilities and frequently rubbed elbows with members of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, who also play their Spring Training Cactus League games at the facilities in Peoria.

"It was a great opportunity for us to play against some different teams from across the country and see how we match up at this point in the season," Alfego said. "As far as off the field, to travel to Arizona and shoot the breeze with major leaguers during spring training was a once-in-a-lifetime experience".

The trip included many highlight moments for the team's rookies. Catcher Kenny Destremps '12, infielder Jon Chu '12 and O'Hare, who also started as the men's soccer team's goalie the second half of the fall season, all contributed offensively, going a combined 15-32, a .469 batting average, with 12 RBIs in the first three games.

Alfego said he was most impressed with O'Hare's play.

"He was a breath of fresh air," he said. "Frankly, none of us had really seen him play during the fall so to have him jump into the starting shortstop role and hit the ball well was an encouraging sign."

The baseball team next plays March 10 against Washington University in St. Louis in the first game of the annual University Athletic Association round-robin held in Sanford, Fla.