CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brandeis University baseball team settled for a series split today, as the Judges dropped a 17-4 decision to Case Western Reserve in the University Athletic Association season finale for both teams. The Judges close out the conference season with a 15-19 mark, 3-13 in the UAA, while the Spartans improve to 22-13, 7-7 UAA. Brandeis still has three non-conference contests left on its slate.

Case Western Reserve scored first in the bottom of the first on a Rocco Maue hit, but Brandeis answered in the top of the second with a pair of runs. Sophomore CF Dan Frey (Ipswich, Mass./St. John's Prep) singled to center to tie the game at one, and a wild pitch plated rookie DH Liam Kennedy (Norwell, Mass / Milton Academy) to put the Judges on top.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived, as CWRU sent 13 men to the plate in the bottom of the second and scored eight runs. The Spartans would tack on five in the fourth and three more in the sixth to close out the game early. Brandeis loaded the bases with none out in the third, but managed just one run, a Luke Hall (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) sacrifice fly. Frey drove in another run in the fifth on a fielder's choice.

Brandeis rookie Cam Roberts (Leominster, Mass / Nashoba Regional) took the loss, falling to 3-3 on the season. He allowed six hits and nine runs (eight earned) in just an inning-and-a-third of work. He also walked four batters. Judge junior 2B Victor Oppenheimer (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade) went 3-4 and scored two of the team's four runs. 

CWRU's Casey McConihe tossed five innings of nine-hit ball, allowing four earned runs, before Paul Slota retired all six batters he faced to close things out.

Brandeis returns to action on Wednesday evening, May 1, at 7 p.m. against Bridgewater State University.