WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University baseball team rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but visiting Wentworth struck for a run in the top of the 11^th inning to escape with a 5-4 win on Stein Diamond today.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 4-8.
• Wentworth: 11-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Brandeis tying the score three times, only to see the Leopards go back on top.
• WIT opened the scoring in the top of the first when center fielder Christian Roncal drew a leadoff walk and scored from first on 1b Christian Peruzzi's double to left.
• Brandeis knotted things up in the third after back-to-back singles put runners on the corners. Senior 2B Mike Dicenso (Cranston, R.I. / Moses Brown) grounded to short, and first-year CF Connor Crowley (Guilford, Conn. / Notre Dame-West Haven) scored on the play.
• The visitors went right back on top in their next at-bat, with 3B Michael Petit doubling home 2B Matthew Favazzo to make it 2-1.  
• In the bottom of the sixth, Brandeis grad student 1B Eddie Zanor (Branford, Conn. / Notre Dame-West Haven) tied things up with one swing of the bat, pulling his team-leading third home run over the right-field fencer to lead off the inning.
• Wentworth tied things up in the seven on an unusual play. With a runner on third, Roncal lofted a ball high to right. The runner on third, Devon Lapierre, tagged up but did not look to be advancing until the cutoff throw got away from the catcher. As he retreated to the back, the ball was thrown down to third and again eluded a Brandeis defender, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
•  The Leopards added a crucial insurance run in the eight, when pinch hitter Bennett Leary bounced a ball through the right side that just snuck past a diving Zanor to plate Favazzo.
• Brandeis extended the game with two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch hitter Tobei Nakajima (Winchester, Mass. / Winchester) singled to lead off the inning and first-year SS Matt Chafin (Canton, Mass. / Canton) drew a walk.
• After they were bunted into scoring position, first-year 3B Dylan Walsh (Arlington, Mass. / Arlington) grounded a ball that ate up the Leopard shortstop, allowing both runs to score and knot the game at 4-all.
• The teams got through the 10^th inning unscathed, but Wentworth reclaimed the lead in the 11^th on a hit bater and back-to-back singles, with AT DePina hitting a ball in the hole at short that was knocked down but trickled through, allowing Roncal to score what proved to be the winning run. Walsh drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning, but the Judges could advance him no further.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Wentworth outhit Brandeis, 15-9, but the Judges also drew six walks to two for the Leopards. The teams combined to leave 23 men on base.
• Zanor had the big bat for the Judges, going 3-6 with the home run, which was his third of the season and the fourth of his career. It was Brandeis's only extra-base hit on the day.
• Chafin also had two hits for Brandeis.
• Wentworth's Favazzo led all players with four hits in six at bats. He scored two runs, as did Roncal.
• Brandeis starter Sean Decker-Jacoby (Los Angeles, Calif. / Vistimar) went 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits and three runs (two unearned). He struck out six and walked two.
• First-year Andrew Tringe (Montpelier, Vt. / Montpelier) was a hard-luck loser, tossing 4.1 innings of four-hit relief, allowing two earned runs. He struck out seven of his 13 outs and did not walk a batter. He falls to 0-3 on the season.
• Junior Matt Ferrara threw seven innings as the starter for the Leopards, allowing seven hits and just two earned runs. He struck out five and walked two.
• Alec Peruzzi earned the win in relief, allowing two hits and giving up two unearned runs. He struck out three and walked three, improving to 2-0 on the campaign.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will travel to Wheaton College on Friday afternoon for a game moved up from Sunday in anticipation of bad weather.