The baseball team's bats came alive during Thursday's return to the Stein Diamond as the Judges won their home opener against the Bridgewater State Bears with a walk-off RBI by third baseman Tony Deshler '11 in the bottom of the ninth. The Judges came back from two deficits and broke two ties, finally securing the 10-9 victory in the last inning when Deshler beat out a double play attempt to score pinch hitter Zach Malis '11 for the game-winning run.

The game's standout was left fielder Chris Ferro '13, who helped account for eight of the Judges' 10 runs with five RBIs and three runs scored, including a fourth-inning home run that erased a two-run Brandeis deficit.

After failing to hit in his first few games, Ferro has come on strong to hold a team-leading .407 batting average, two home runs and 11 RBI so far.

Hitting coach Nick Gallagher noted Ferro's hitting capabilities and his improvements.

"Before the season, he was our best hitter in fall practice," said Gallagher. "He got off to a slow start, but this is more of what we expected from him this year."

"Coming into the fall ... right away, you could tell he was a hitter," first baseman Drake Livada '10 said. "He's been hitting all spring and all winter, so none of us have been surprised by it."

The home win was especially sweet for the Judges, who only clinched two wins in nine games on their road trips in Texas and Florida.

"It was definitely a relief to get that first win at home, especially after our two trips down south didn't go as well as we hoped," said Livada. "We've been saying since we got back that we'll look at those trips as just us getting ready for our season up here, and as far as we're concerned, we're 1-0 right now back up in Boston."

Livada believes that the Judges' bats will be the key to their success this season.

"If we make the routine plays and our pitchers throw strikes, we can hit with any team in the country," said Livada.

Gallagher agreed with Livada, but also discussed how other teams have potent offenses as well.

"We're [going to] have to hit the baseball," said Gallagher. "In this league, over the schedule we play, ... everyone can hit, so you have to score to win."

The Judges' pitching troubles, which have plagued them for much of the season, started early on Thursday. Right-handed starter Dylan Britton '13 walked Bears' senior shortstop Brian Medairos to begin the first. Medairos advanced to second on a fielder's choice and then went to third on a pitch to the backstop.

Britton then gave up an RBI single and, after recording the second out, a two-run homer to junior left fielder Ian Williams before getting a strikeout to end the inning.

In the second, senior first baseman Tom Couet led off with a solo home run. Britton recorded the first out before allowing a single to left.

After just 1 1/3 innings, right-hander Nick Pollack '11 came in, ending the inning with no further damage.

Brandeis got on the board in the bottom of the second when Ferro, after hitting a one-out single, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Malis' sacrifice fly to center.

In the third, center fielder Nick Cortese '13 led off with an infield single and, after Deshler struck out swinging, moved to second on defensive indifference.

A 1-2 pitch caught shortstop Sean O'Hare '12 on the arm. Designated hitter Jon Chu '12 then grounded into a potential inning-ending 6-4-3 double play, but a throwing error allowed Chu to reach first, which scored Cortese from second.

Livada singled to center in the fourth, and Ferro drove Livada and himself in on a home run to left-center.

Despite managing to load the bases, Brandeis did not score any runs after second baseman Jon O'Brion '10 grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Bridgewater State regained the lead in the fifth. Pollack's streak of eight straight retired hitters ended with a one-out walk, hit batter and two-run double. They scored a run on a single before right-hander John McGrath '11 came on to end the inning.

Brandeis then scored three runs of their own on doubles by Ferro and O'Brion followed by a wild pitch from freshman reliever Bryant Warner.

Right-hander Drew Brzozowski '10 came in for the Judges in the sixth and pitched three scoreless innings, working out of trouble in the seventh and eighth to leave five runners on base.

Meanwhile, Brandeis added runs in the sixth and eighth, on a Ferro single and sacrifice fly. Ferro's single in the sixth caromed off of the pitcher's leg to the second baseman. O'Hare was able to score from second on a headfirst slide.

Brzozowski began the ninth trying to hold the lead and secure the Brandeis win, but the Bears were finally able to get to him with a one-out single followed by a game-tying home run by freshmen pinch hitter Tyler Dennis.

Kyle Richie '12 came in and was able to record the last two outs to preserve the tie.

Looking to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, Malis started off the inning getting hit for the second time in the game, stole second and advanced to third with one out when Zach Wooley '11, pinch hitting for Cortese, reached on an error.

Deshler hit a grounder on the infield, and was able to beat the turn at first to score Malis for the winning run.

The Judges will play seven games between today and Sunday. The team's next game will be at the Stein Diamond today against Wheaton College at 3 p.m.