WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University baseball team got a couple of timely home runs and 6.2 innings of hitless relief today as the Judges defeated visiting New York University in the first game of a four-game University Athletic Association series. With the win, the Judges surpassed their overall win total from a year ago with 14 games remaining on the schedule.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 13-10, 5-4 UAA.
• NYU: 8-12, 2-7 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first on just two hits. Junior DH Mano Boutsikakis (Astoria, N.Y./Xavier) drew a bases-loaded walk to open the scoring, and junior CF Connor Crowley (Guilford, Conn./Notre Dame-West Haven) followed with a bases-clearing double.
• Brandeis pitchers ran into their only trouble in the third, when NYU scored all four of their runs and had their only three hits of the game. Brandeis also committed two errors in the frame.
• After a single and a walk put the first two runners on, an errant throw on a bunt allowed the Violets' first run to score. Harrison Blueweiss drove in one run with a single to second, and a balk allowed the third NYU run to come home. CJ Franchini singled to center to tie the game at 4-all and knock Brandeis starter Dimitri Skourides (Arlington, Mass./Winchendon School) from the game.
• Franchini moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and third on a fly to right, but senior Cooper Gavin (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) got a strikeout to end the threat, and the Judges' avoided further trouble the rest of the way.
• Brandeis reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third when sophomore RF Bobby Quill (Raynham, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham Regional) delivered a two-out single to right.
• The Judges expanded on their lead in the next three frames thanks to the long ball. Junior LF Henry Aronwald (Rye Brook, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) blasted one to left in the fourth with a runner on, and sophomore 1B Danny Tambascia (Newton, Mass./Newton North) delivered a solo shot in the sixth to left-center.
• Arowald added another RBI with a double in the seventh that closed out the scoring.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Brandeis bullpen kept NYU in check, as Gavin threw 3.2 hitless innings, walking five and striking out three to earn the win, the third of his career.
• Sophomore Brady Lane (Hingham, Mass./BC High School) earned his first save of the season and the sixth of his career with three hitless innings, giving up a walk and two hit batters, but striking out four.
• Offensively, Aronwald reached base in all five plate appearances, going 2-2 with three walks. He scored three runs, drove in three and had a double and a home run,his team-leading third of the season and the eighth of his career.
• Tambascia's homer was his second of the campaign and third of his career.
• Boutsikakis also had two hits, while sophomore 3B Ben Kuja (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) and classmate catcher Keith Lee (Milford, Mass./Milford) each scored two runs.
• Crowley also had three RBI with his first-inning double.

UP NEXT

• The Judges and Violets will continue their four-game UAA series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon.