Big seventh leads to 5-2 Brandeis win
April 25, 2008
BEVERLY, Mass. - Brandeis University scored four runs in the top of the seventh to break away from a 1-1 tie, as the Judges charged past Endicott College, 5-2, in a non-conference baseball game on North Field in Beverly, Massachusetts on Friday afternoon. The win moves Brandeis to three-games above .500 at 17-14, while Endicott will enter its regular season-ending double-header at 18-17.
The Judges were led by Malcolm Cone-Coleman (Portland, Maine), as the shortstop drove in a pair of runs in the 5-2 win. Tony Deshler (Pepperel, Mass.) and John O'Brion (Portland, Maine) each had an RBI, while Pat Nicholson (East Walpole, Mass.) accounted for a run scored and an RBI for the visitors. Brandeis ended the afternoon with just four hits.
Endicott was paced by Luis Uribe's (Boston, Mass.) two hits and two runs driven in. Aaron Santos (Cambridge, Mass.) hit 2-of-3 with two runs scored including a ground rule double. Tyler Connelly (Grafton, Mass.) was charged with the hard-luck loss after tossing seven innings of four hit, five run (two earned) baseball.
Endicott was first to strike as the Gulls took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first inning. Santos led the frame off with a walk, and then proceeded to steal both second and third base. Luis Uribe drove the Endicott centerfielder home as he connected on an RBI single up the middle to give EC a 1-0 advantage.
The game would stay that way until the top of the fourth as the Judges knotted the game at 1-all. O'Brion got the brief rally started with a leadoff walk. After a fielder's choice and another free pass issued by Connelly, O'Brion scored as Nicholson grounded into a rare 4-6-5 double-play.
Brandeis blew the game open in the seventh as the visitors connected for four runs on two hits while capitalizing on an Endicott error. A two RBI double down the right field line from Cone-Coleman gave the visitors their first lead of the afternoon. Deshler then stroked a bases-clearing triple to center to put Brandeis in front for good.
Despite back-to-back losses in consecutive days, Endicott must now turn its attention to Saturday's TCCC double-header with Colby-Sawyer College. A pair of wins over the Chargers are almost a must if the Gulls want to notch the four-seed in next week's conference tournament. The twinbill is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch.