After a last-place finish at last week's University Athletic Association Championships, the baseball team was trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth inning against Bridgewater State last Wednesday. With catcher Zach Wooley '11 on second base and shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 on first base, leadoff hitter and centerfielder Tony Deshler '10 stepped to the plate, hoping to prolong the game, as the Judges were down to their final out.Deshler came through, delivering an RBI single to tie the game as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate. After designated hitter Nick Gallagher '09 was hit by a pitch to load the bases, third baseman Jon Chu '12 played the hero, driving in three runs with a deep double to left field. The Judges tacked on one more run to eventually bring the final score to 9-5.

The ninth-inning comeback sparked a 3-1 week for the Judges, which improved their record to 7-8 on the season after they were beaten in a pitchers' duel last Friday at Rhode Island College 2-1 and sweeping a home-opening doubleheader against Rochester Institute of Technology last Saturday, winning the first game 7-5 and the second game 5-1.

"We're definitely progressing offensively with guys being more aggressive and figuring out and actually understanding that our philosophy is we're going to swing the bat," assistant coach Brian Lambert '97 said.

Last Saturday, pitching and errors were the difference in both games against RIT. The Judges picked up two wins led by the core of their starting staff, Kyle Ritchie '10 and Drew Brzozowski '10. The Judges also capitalized on eight Tigers errors in the two games.

In the first game, the Judges jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with two-out RBI singles from first baseman Pat Nicholson '11 and Wooley. Brandeis continued to take advantage of RIT's mistakes, putting up two more unearned runs in the second inning to extend its lead to 5-0.

Those runs would be plenty for Ritchie as he gave up four runs in five innings to get the win. Nick Pollack '11 and Alex Tynan '12 maintained the lead in relief. Pollack gave up no runs in the sixth inning, and Tynan gave up one run to get his first collegiate save.

"It was big to get the run support early," Ritchie said. "We've got an important stretch coming up, so to get these first two was big."

In the second game, Brzozowski surrendered one run in the first inning, but the offense responded in the bottom half of the frame, capitalizing on Tiger miscues for three runs despite only two hits in the inning. The Tigers never again threatened as Brandeis cruised through the rest of the game with Brzozowski spreading eight hits over the complete game, seven-inning effort.

"[Ritchie and Brzozowski] definitely pitched their best games of the year so far," Lambert said.

"I felt pretty good; my slider felt like it was working, and I had good command," Brzozowski said. "It puts us on the right track and gives us some momentum heading into next week."

Last Friday, Brandeis starter Justin Duncombe '11 took the defeat, despite his ERA improving to 1.89 on the season after turning in six innings of two-hit ball and surrendering only one unearned run.

Rhode Island College sophomore pitcher Gary Levesque proved to be even better, however, as he scattered eight hits in eight innings and struck out seven Judges. Captain John O'Brion '10 was the only player able to crack Levesque, as he went 3-for-3 with two doubles, driving in the team's only run in the top of the seventh inning.

For a team that, according to Lambert, has struggled with mental miscues, last Friday's loss stood out as an example for the team's consistant struggles. The Judges had a chance to win in the ninth inning with the tying run on second base and no outs after DH Drake Livada '10 led off the inning with a single and moved to second on an error. But the Judges failed to execute a sacrifice bunt on the next play, and Livada was picked off at second base. Wooley hit a single two batters later that would have scored Livada if he had not been picked off.

The Judges' scheduled home game yesterday against Salem State College was postponed to April 17 at 3 p.m. because of the cold weather. Brandeis will next play today at 3 p.m. against rival Wheaton College, which has dominated the Judges as of late, winning seven of the last nine games between the two teams in the last four years.