The Justice

Media Credit: David Sheppard-Brick Shortstop Joe Coreira '12 makes an off-balance throw to first base in the team's loss to Trinity College last Sunday.

Riding a two-game winning streak last week, the Judges led 4-2 through the first five innings in the first game of a doubleheader against the defending national champion No. 6 Trinity College (Conn.) last Sunday and seemed to be on their way to a major upset in what has been a tumultuous April in which the team had gone 5-8.

In the top of the sixth inning, however, starting pitcher and captain James Collins '09 saw his two-run cushion disappear as he surrendered a solo home run to Trinity junior first baseman Kent Graham-his first of three on the day-and was lifted in favor of left-handed reliever Justin Duncombe '11.

But after Collins' departure, the Judges fell back into a familiar pattern as a combination of mental miscues, physical errors and pitching problems came together. Trinity scored eight straight runs over the final two innings to win 10-4 in seven innings. Brandeis dropped the second game 13-3, and fell to 15-21 overall and 5-10 in April.

Collins turned in his best start of the season as he held Trinity to only three earned runs, striking out four and surrendering just seven hits across five-plus innings, but the Judges could not hold onto the lead.

"He pitched his heart out," pitcher Kyle Ritche '10 said of Collins. "He got into some jams but worked his way out each time and kept us in the game the whole time."

Duncombe replaced Collins and recorded one out but was lifted after issuing a walk, setting the stage for the Bantams' comeback. Reliever Nick Pollack '11 followed Duncombe and took the loss.

With one out, third baseman Tony Deshler '11 committed an error on a ground ball to his left, leaving the door open for the Bantams to continue the inning and take the lead. The error would prove costly as Trinity added another run to break the tie and take a 5-4 lead. Trinity added five more runs in the top of the seventh inning to close out the game.

In the second game, Ritchie started the game and struggled with control, issuing four walks to get the loss. The Bantams capitalized on another Deshler error and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with only one earned run in the first two innings.

Continued...

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