BEVERLY, Mass. (info taken from an Endicott press
release) -- The Brandeis baseball team got a stellar starting
performance from junior John McGrath (New York, N.Y./Trevor Day),
who tossed a career-high eight-and-two-thirds innings, but the
Judges could not hang on to get him the win as they fell, 4-3, in
11 innings at Endicott College today. Brandeis falls to 9-20 on the
season, while Endicott improves to 22-12.
Brandeis got on the board in the top of the fourth without
benefit of a hit. Sophomore 3B Jon Chu (Hollis
Hills, N.Y./Bronx H.S. of Science) and rookie catcher Chris
Ferro (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) both walked to start the
inning. Senior DH Artie Posch (Hopedale,
Mass./Hopedale) grounded to third and beat out a relay throw from
second to put runners on the corners. Junior 1B Eric
Rosenberg (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) followed with a
sacrifice fly to left to give Brandeis a 1-0 lead. It was the
fourth time in five games that Rosenberg has recorded an RBI.
The Gulls answered in the bottom of the frame when DH Aaron
Santos (Cambridge, Mass.) knocked in an RBI double, one of only two
extra-base hits by either team on the day. He scored one batter
later on an infield error struck by Colin Sitarz (West Hartford,
Conn.), giving the hosts a 2-1 lead, but McGrath got the final two
outs on a come-backer to the mound and pop to third base to escape
any more damage.
Brandeis scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings,
but had the opportunity to add more, leaving the bases loaded each
time. With two away in the sixth, Ferro singled back through the
box, Posch was hit by a pitch, and Rosenberg singled to third to
pack the sacks. Sophomore SS Sean O'Hare
(Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional) drew a walk to knot the
game at 2-2.
In the seventh, Brandeis took its second lead
of the day when rookie RF Nick Cortese (Guaynabo,
Puerto Rico/Baldwin School of Puerto Rico) drew a leadoff walk and
came around to score on a Chu single in the hole at shortstop. The
Gulls tied the game with two out in the eighth inning when Sitarz
hit an RBI single to left field that scored Ralph Fidaleo
(Fairfield, Conn.).
Endicott's Matt Sharon (Wallingford,
Vt.) shut down the Judges over the final three innings and received
some help when Chris Dominguez (Braintree, Mass.) and Eric Lemke
(Southington, Conn.) turned in a spectacular double play to get out
of the 10th inning. O'Hare hit a Sharon
offering deep into the hole at short but Dominguez ranged to his
right and threw to second off his back foot. Lemke stepped over the
bag, getting the out at second, and in one motion, threw over to
first to retire the side.
In the bottom of the 11th, Sitarz
drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed into scoring position by
Andrew Betts (Bristol, Conn.). Joe Kasabuski stepped to the plate
and stroked a Mike Swerdloff (Scarsdale,
N.Y./Ardsley) offering into the gap in left-centerfield that
allowed Sitarz to score and gave the Gulls the walk-off, 4-3
victory.
For the Judges, McGrath earned a no-decision
while throwing 8.2 innings, giving up eight hits and three runs
(two earned) with four strikeouts in his career-long outing.
Swerdloff suffered the setback, going the final 1.2 innings while
giving up only one hit and one earned run. At the plate, Brandeis
was led by multi-hit days from Chu, Ferro and Rosenberg, as the
three players combined to go 9-for-13 at the plate with two RBI and
two runs scored. Cortese picked up the only other hit for the
Judges, going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
BRANDEIS-ENDICOTT BOX SCORE
