PROVIDENCE, R.I. (courtesy JWU sports information)
– Brandeis sophomore SS Sean O'Hare (Southampton,
Mass./Hampshire Regional) hit a grand slam to cap a
five-run eighth inning and tie the game at 7-7, but Johnson and
Wales junior Teddy Katz (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
responded with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth
to give the Wildcat baseball team a thrilling 8-7
victory against Brandeis in a non-conference contest at Pierce
Field on Thursday afternoon.
Brandeis took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI
single by sophomore Jon Chu (Hollis
Hills, N.Y./Bronx H.S. of
Science). Johnson & Wales
responded in the bottom of the first when senior Jonathan
Melendez (Providence,
R.I.) led off with a single and
scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore Zach Boyes
(West Warwick,
R.I.). The Wildcats took
the 2-1 lead on an infield single by senior Rich Fonseca
(East Providence, R.I.) that plated junior Nick
Alosco (Mahopac, N.Y.) with the go-ahead run. After
a scoreless second inning, the visiting Judges knotted the game at
2-2 on a two out RBI single by Chu. JWU regained the lead in
the bottom of the third after Boyes reached on a fielders choice
and later crossed the plate on a run scoring double by Fonseca to
take the 3-2 advantage.
Fonseca's third RBI of the afternoon in the bottom of the
fifth increased JWU's lead to 4-2 and the Wildcats later
capitalized on a Brandeis error to go up 5-2. In the bottom
of the sixth, Melendez belted his ninth home run of the season and
fourth in the last two games to put the squad up 6-2. The
Wildcats extended their lead on an RBI double by junior
Bryan Sayers
(Chelmsford,
Mass.) to go ahead 7-2.
Brandeis rallied in the top of the eighth, scoring five runs,
including O'Hare's second round-tripper of the season and the
fourth of his career to knot the game at 7-7. Katz then
provided the heroics in the bottom of the ninth to give JWU the 8-7
victory.
Katz went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI while Fonseca was
3-for-4 with a run and three RBI for Johnson & Wales.
Junior Matt Yaeger
(Glendale,
Ariz.) notched the win on the
mound for the Wildcats, pitching one scoreless inning of relief to
earn his second win of the season. Junior Tony
Deshler (Pepperell,
Mass./Lawrence Acad.) was 3-for-5
with two runs and a stolen base while Chu went 3-for-5 with a run
and two RBI in the setback for Brandeis.
With the win Johnson & Wales is now 11-22 while Brandeis
falls to 8-18 for the season. The Judges are scheduled to
return home for the first time since March 28 when they face Babson
in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at noon.
