Judges 7, Leopards 4

The Judges were able to prevent a Leopard comeback at the top of the ninth inning to win a non-conference match-up and improve to 3-6. Brandeis took an early lead at the bottom of the first inning as they scored four runs on six hits. Captain and center fielder Sam Nugent ’23 opened up the scoring with a single. This brought designated hitter Alex Kim ’26 home. Catcher Justin Keeler ’25 and first baseman Matthew Motiwalla ’26 singled to bring in three runs — one and two respectively — and finished out the first inning 4-0. Third baseman Brian King ’23 singled as well to score left fielder and captain Steven Simon ’23 extended the lead to five. Asher Kaplan ’23 retired 13 Wentworth hitters in a row through the sixth inning until the top of the seventh. The Leopards were able to get a runner home off a hit, making it 1-5. 

At the bottom of the same inning, the Judges fought back and tacked on two more runs to bring the score up, 7-1. Motiwalla got his third RBI of the game and shortstop Drew Michaud ’23 scored off a wild pitch. In the ninth inning, the Leopards finally caught up to Kaplan, scoring three runs and nabbing four hits off him. Pitcher and captain Marc Maestri M.B.A. ’23 got his fourth career save when he had the final out of the game to relieve Kaplan. Motiwalla had a great game, going 3-4 with his first career hits and three RBIs. Kim was the only Brandeis batter with an extra-base hit. 

Judges 3, Gulls 5

Although the Judges jumped to the lead against the #8 Endicott College Gulls, they were unable to secure the win and came up short on the upset. This was a big improvement from the scoreless loss against the Gulls earlier in the season. Endicott did not score a run until the top of the fourth. However, the Judges responded in that same frame as they loaded the bases from a combination of a double, error, and bunt. King singled to get Kim home while Nugent and King scored off a walk and fielder’s choice respectively. 

Endicott reclaimed the lead for the rest of the game in the top of the sixth. The Gulls scored a go-ahead single off starting pitcher Sean Decker-Jacoby ’24 to take the lead 4-3. In the ninth they added another insurance run to make it five runs on the day. The Judges were unable to get their runners home in the next innings and ended the rest of the game scoreless. Decker-Jacoby struck out four runners, allowing two hits and one unearned run in the first five innings. Maestri took the loss, falling to 2-1 with the team’s record dropping to 3-7.

Judges 2, Lions 7; Judges 6, Lions 9 

In this non-conference doubleheader, the Judges dropped both games to the Emerson College Lions in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Brandeis took the lead at the bottom of the third when Simon singled and brought first baseman Nick Heafey ’24 home, and second baseman Mike DiCenso ’24 scored unearned. However, the six runs the Lions hammered in blew open their scoring,including a grand slam that gave Emerson the early lead. There were three more runs — one in the fourth and two in the fifth to complete the Lions’ scoring. Rookie pitcher Tyler Hill ’26 took the loss, allowing three hits and six runs across 3.1 innings. 

The Judges got on the score sheet first again in game two at the bottom of the first. King singled an RBI while the bases loaded and a wild pitch led to two more runs being scored. The Lions were able to get out of the inning and regain control thanks to a productive sixth frame. They had six runs on four hits, taking the lead 6-3. The Lions tacked on two more runs between the fourth and the fifth to extend their lead to nine runs. The Judges got some runs on the board at the bottom of the final seventh inning. Michaud sent a three-run home run out of the park to give the Judges hope. However, they were unable to convert runners to runs and the Lions brought it home. Pitcher James Murphy ’25 took the loss over 2.2 innings. He gave up four runs on two hits, two walks, and two hit batters. Michaud’s home run was his first of the season and the fifth of his career. Brandeis will not be home again until their UAA campaign against Emory on April 7th.