The Brandeis University Judges erased a five-run deficit to stun the Emory University baseball team, 10-8, in an extra-inning thriller Sunday afternoon at Chappell Park in Atlanta.
Trailing 7-2, Brandeis scored in each of the final five innings including a two-run triple with two outs in the 10th inning to hand the Eagles the loss in the University Athletic Association finale. Emory ends the 2024 campaign with a 23-14-1 record, 9-6-1 in UAA play, while the Judges move to 6-30 and finish the UAA slate at 1-15. The win for Brandeis is its first against the Eagles since 2008, snapping a 37-game winning streak for Emory in the series.
The game started with the look of another Emory victory as the Eagles led 3-0 through five innings and 7-2 after six before the Judges made their rally in the later innings.
Senior Zac Schultz impressed as he made his first career start but settled for the no decision. He twirled five innings of shutout ball, working around three hits and three walks and struck out a career-high five batters.
Behind Schultz, the Eagles grabbed an early edge as freshman Aidan Conley continued his torrid weekend as he collected RBIs nine and ten in the series with a two-run single in the bottom of the first. Emory added another run in the fourth when junior Jonah Wronski scored on a wild pitch.
Brandeis struck for two in the sixth but the Eagles countered with four more runs in the bottom of the frame. Junior Matthew Sicoli and graduate student Nick Wilson each had RBIs prior to the Eagles scoring twice more on a Brandeis error.
Two defensive errors by the Eagles contributed to five unearned runs for Brandeis in the seventh and eighth as the Judges evened the score at 7-7.
With two outs in the ninth, the Judges plated the go-ahead run with a single through the right side. Emory responded in the home half, loading the bases before junior Blake Dincman scored sophomore Zach Wasserlauf with a pinch-hit sac fly to tie the game.
In the tenth, shortstop Matt Chafin worked a 3-2 count against Bennett Speicher with two outs. On the sixth pitch of the at bat, Chaflin sent a line drive to centerfield. With the ball trailing away from him, Nick Sullo attempted to make a superman-esque diving catch but just missed on the leap. The ball went to the wall, allowing two runs to score to give the Judges the lead.
The Eagles saw two baserunners in the bottom of the inning as junior Jack Halloran worked a leadoff walk and Wasserlauf singled with two outs, giving Emory runners on the corner. Freshman Trevor McAndrews tried to extend the inning but flew out to center for the game's final out.
Conley finished the game 1-4 with two RBI and two walks while Halloran drew four walks in his six plate appearances, scoring twice.