As the rest of the student body continued to brave the end-of-winter cold, the Brandeis baseball team concluded its season-opening Southern road trip last week, competing in the five-day University Athletic Association round-robin tournament in Sanford, Fla. The Florida sun wasn't enough to heat up the Judges, though, as they finished the tournament on Sunday with a 12-5 loss to Emory University, dropping their UAA record to 1-4. Emory took the lead early and held it on Sunday against right-hander Drew Brzozowski '10, who lasted 4.2 innings, giving up 10 runs, seven of which were earned. The Eagles scored two runs in both the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. Brandeis got on the board with two in the top of the fourth on an RBI and a run scored by rookie left fielder Chris Ferro '13 but were matched with two more from Emory in the bottom of the inning. The Eagles then pulled away with five runs in the fifth, taking an 11-2 lead that was too much for the Judges to overcome.

The story was similar throughout the UAA tournament for the Judges, who gave up high run totals to every opponent, reaching into the double digits in four of the five UAA games last week. The round-robin started Tuesday, when Brandeis lost to Emory 7-1. The Judges pulled out a comeback victory in a 13-11 slugfest against Washington University in St. Louis on Wednesday before losing to Case Western Reserve University 12-5 later that day. After a day off on Thursday and a rainout on Friday, Brandeis fell to Rochester University on Saturday 11-1 before Sunday's final loss.

Despite the tough start, captain catcher Artie Posch '10 doesn't see the losses as a reflection of the team's ability.

"Obviously we've gotten off to a rough start," said Posch, "but talent-wise, out of the four years that I've been here, this is one of the most overall talented teams that I've played with. We need to just figure it out and play as a team."

After striking out the side in his first inning of work on Sunday, Brzozowski gave up a leadoff double to start the bottom of the second, followed immediately by a two-run homer. Emory put two more on the board in the third on a one-out double. In the Brandeis half of the fourth, third baseman Tony Deshler '11 singled with one out and was driven home on the next at-bat by Ferro's double to left center field. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Ferro scored on a sacrifice fly by Posch, putting Brandeis within two runs.

"He threw me an off-speed pitch, and I just sat on it," Ferro said of his RBI double off of Emory pitcher Matthew Katten, who got the win. "He kind of left it up in the zone."

The Eagles scored two more in the fourth, but Brzozowski was able to control the damage, striking out left fielder Patrick Biebsame with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Judges had no such luck in the bottom of the fifth. After a one-out solo home run, Emory put runners on at first and second. Brzozowski recorded the second out and then got junior first baseman Ryan Jones to fly to right field for what should have been the third, but a fielding error allowed two runs to score and the inning to continue. After a pitching change, the Eagles scored two more on a home run, totaling at four unearned runs in the inning.

Brandeis was able to close the gap in the sixth, scoring one on a Posch single down the left field line and two in the seventh on a two-run single by James Likis '10, pinch-hitting for right fielder Kenny Destremps '12.

While this year's Judges have a good group of returning veterans, the team's defining element might be its rookies, who Posch believes will act as a significant component of the group.

"All of our freshman class is really talented, and a lot of them are going to be playing vital roles this year," he said. "Whether it's our pitching staff or infielders [or] outfielders, . we got a good group of kids that came in this year, so they'll definitely be an important part of the team."

The influence of this new class of players is most seen in the pitching staff, who has added five new members, including three southpaws. Some have struggled early in the season, but Posch says such difficulties are characteristic of the transition to college ball.

"In high school, there's maybe one or two kids in the lineup that can hit," said Posch, "but in college, the whole lineup is everyone's best hitter from high school, so [pitchers] don't get away with as many mistakes as they may have in high school."

Perhaps the chilly Massachusetts weather will cool down opponents' bats, as the Judges return to Brandeis for their home opener on Thursday to take on the Bears of Bridgewater State College.