Riding a two-game winning streak last week, the Judges led 4-2 through the first five innings in the first game of a doubleheader against the defending national champion No. 6 Trinity College (Conn.) last Sunday and seemed to be on their way to a major upset in what has been a tumultuous April in which the team had gone 5-8. In the top of the sixth inning, however, starting pitcher and captain James Collins '09 saw his two-run cushion disappear as he surrendered a solo home run to Trinity junior first baseman Kent Graham-his first of three on the day-and was lifted in favor of left-handed reliever Justin Duncombe '11.

But after Collins' departure, the Judges fell back into a familiar pattern as a combination of mental miscues, physical errors and pitching problems came together. Trinity scored eight straight runs over the final two innings to win 10-4 in seven innings. Brandeis dropped the second game 13-3, and fell to 15-21 overall and 5-10 in April.

Collins turned in his best start of the season as he held Trinity to only three earned runs, striking out four and surrendering just seven hits across five-plus innings, but the Judges could not hold onto the lead.

"He pitched his heart out," pitcher Kyle Ritche '10 said of Collins. "He got into some jams but worked his way out each time and kept us in the game the whole time."

Duncombe replaced Collins and recorded one out but was lifted after issuing a walk, setting the stage for the Bantams' comeback. Reliever Nick Pollack '11 followed Duncombe and took the loss.

With one out, third baseman Tony Deshler '11 committed an error on a ground ball to his left, leaving the door open for the Bantams to continue the inning and take the lead. The error would prove costly as Trinity added another run to break the tie and take a 5-4 lead. Trinity added five more runs in the top of the seventh inning to close out the game.

In the second game, Ritchie started the game and struggled with control, issuing four walks to get the loss. The Bantams capitalized on another Deshler error and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with only one earned run in the first two innings.

The Judges fought back, bringing the score to 3-2 after O'Hare hit his second home run of the year. Rookie reliever Alex Tynan '12 kept Trinity in check until the fifth inning, when Trinity hit back-to-back home runs and a double to increase their lead.

Tynan was removed from the game, but the rest of the Brandeis bullpen fared no better as Trinity exploded for eight runs on seven hits and one error on the inning, putting the game out of reach for the Judges.

The middle of the Trinity order headed into the game hitting well, as Graham and senior captain catcher Sean Kileen, hitting at the third and fourth spot in the lineup, entered the game hitting .441 and .484, respectively. Their success continued as they combined to go 7-for-15 with nine RBIs and six runs scored while hitting five home runs over the two games.

The sweep occurred after the Judges had won four of their last five games with impressive starting pitching and timely hitting from the heart of their order.

The week started out with a 9-2 win over the University of Massachusetts at Boston last Thursday, one day after designated hitter Drake Livada '10 was named UAA baseball co-player of the week after he raised his batting average from .295 to .365 during the week of April 15 to 22. He continued his hot streak at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Captain second baseman John O'Brion '09 helped Livada in the middle of the Judges order at the third and fourth spot throughout the week as he ended the week leading the team in batting average (.382), slugging percentage (.632) and home runs (4).

"[Livada and O'Brion] swing the bat well, and they aren't too picky up there," assistant coach Brian Lambert '97 said. "The biggest thing is that they are coming up in clutch situations and producing. Those guys are the ones that we want up in those situations."

Last Friday, the Judges handled Endicott College 4-0 on the strength of Drew Brzozowski's '10 best start of the year. Brzozowski lasted 8 1/3 innings and struck out a career- high 10 Gulls while allowing only three hits.

Yesterday's game at Amherst College ended too late for this edition.

The Judges will play again tomorrow at Bowdoin College at 4 p.m. The team will close the season with its final home game against Wheaton College Friday at 3 p.m. and then with a doubleheader at Suffolk College starting at 1 p.m.