Brandeis deals Tufts a 9-2 verdict

The streaky baseball team's offensive wagon was shut down for seven innings on Tuesday before pushing across a pair of runs in the final two innings at Brandeis (12-8-1). Unfortunately for Tufts (13-6), Brandeis had already scored nine runs en-route to a 9-2 victory.

"The bottom line is we didn't come to play," senior tri-captain Brian Shapiro said. "We rolled over, we were never really in it, and the game was over by the third or fourth inning."

The Jumbos continue to struggle to find solid pitching beyond the starting trio of seniors tri-captain Dave Martin and Jon Lee, and junior Randy Newsom. Sophomore Jeremy Davis (0-1) started for Tufts, giving up four runs on seven hits in three innings.

Brandeis opened the scoring in the second inning. Senior right fielder Sean Ewers was hit by a pitch with one out, and after Davis struck out the next batter, second baseman Nick Adams doubled to put runners in scoring position. Junior shortstop Lars Borsson, batting ninth, singled in both runners to give the Judges a 2-0 lead.

Sophomore Jeff Volinski relieved to open the bottom of the fourth. Borsson singled again to lead off the inning before stealing second. An error by Shapiro at shortstop, an RBI groundout, and a run-scoring single by McShane increased Brandeis' lead to four.

"Today was kind of a day to give a lot of pitchers some playing time," senior tri-captain Evan Zupancic said. "It was a staff day, to improve their stuff. But nobody is really stepping up."

The southpaw Volinski gave up three solo homers, including senior second baseman Nick Adams' first career blast, allowing a total of five runs. Senior Mike Byron pitched an inning of scoreless relief to restore some order to the battered Jumbo pen.

A positive sign for the staff, however, was the stinginess in allowing free passes. Volinski allowed Brandeis' only walk of the day, a harmless leadoff freebee to third baseman David Graham in the sixth that didn't score. But the bullpen still needs to step up and pitch effectively, particularly this late into the season, according to coach John Casey.

"They're just not making their pitches when they're supposed to," he said. "They need to perform."

Brandeis senior starter Tom McShane offered the Jumbos little to work with at the plate in 7.2 innings pitched, allowing just five hits while striking out ten. McShane (5-1, 2.37 ERA) has notched 64 K's in 49.1 innings pitched, and struck out ten or more for the third time this season.

Part of the offensive lapse, according to Casey, was the lack of quality pitches to hit. McShane, despite catching seven of ten Jumbos swinging, also yielded five walks, and has allowed nearly a walk per two innings of work this season.

"The Brandeis kid was wild, he was pitching all over the place," Casey said. "He was not hitting the plate. Our runs came off the relievers."

Nevertheless, the Judges' relievers were not much more consistent. McShane loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth on a double by Zupancic and back-to-back walks to juniors Nick Palange and Greg Hickey. The Brandeis starter gave way to righty Russ Stutsky, who immediately walked freshman Matt Clement to send home a run. Sophomore second baseman Frank Dinucci then grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The Jumbos added another run in the top of the ninth, again with the bases loaded. Freshman Josh Ludmer, who entered the game in the fifth to replace sophomore catcher Bob Kenny, singled to left. Brandeis senior Kevin Kay sandwiched a wild pitch between free passes to pinch-hitting junior Frank Giliberti and sophomore first baseman John McBride (2 for 3) to again load the bases. Sophomore David Bishop then walked in the final run of the game.

All told, the Jumbos walked nine times and stranded 11 on base.

"We walked a lot but struck out a lot too," said Zupancic, who went two for four to raise his career average against Brandeis to .304. "Walking and getting guys on base doesn't matter if you can't knock them in. I think some guys need to take a look at the action and what's going on rather than perhaps being so self-absorbed."